AP source: Patriots re-sign long snapper Cardona for 4 years

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Free agent long snapper Joe Cardona is returning to the Patriots on a new four-year contract worth $6.3 million, a person with knowledge of the negotiation said Friday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the contract hadn’t been announced.

The deal was first reported by NFL Network.

The Patriots also announced the signings of receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, safety Jabrill Peppers and running back James Robinson.

Cardona has been a staple part of New England's special teams since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He appeared in every game each of his first seven years in the league, but missed the finals three games last season after being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury.

He will be working with a new punter next season after 2020 All-Pro Jake Bailey was released last week.

Peppers was solid in his first season in New England, appearing in 17 games with five starts last year and posting 52 total tackles with one fumble recovery and eight special teams tackles.

He likely isn't the top candidate to step into the role left by Devin McCourty's retirement, but he will be counted on to provide support alongside fellow safeties Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger.

Robinson started his career in Jacksonville in 2020, rushing for a career-high 1,070 yards and notching seven rushing touchdowns as a rookie, He spent parts of three seasons with the Jaguars before being dealt to the Jets this past October. He appeared in four games for New York, but was not tendered a contract as a restricted free agent — making him an unrestricted free agent.

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The New England Patriots announced today that they have signed three free agents. Terms of the contracts were not announced. The Patriots signed the following players: DB Jabrill Peppers as an unrestricted free agent, RB James Robinson as a free agent and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster as an unrestricted free agent from Kansas City. Peppers originally joined New England as an unrestricted free agent from the New York Giants on April 4, 2022.