During mandatory minicamp last week, Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson said he felt his representation and the team were “pretty close” to a contract extension.
It turns out he was right.
A league source confirmed Thursday that the Patriots have signed Stevenson to a four-year extension worth $36 million. The deal includes $17 million of guaranteed money.
Stevenson, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, is now under contract through the 2028 season. He is the latest Patriot to receive an extension, joining defensive tackle Christian Barmore and center David Andrews.
In their first year in their new positions, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and coach Jerod Mayo have clearly prioritized retaining internal talent. In addition to extending three major contributors, the Patriots also re-signed six of their pending free agents in wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, safety Kyle Dugger, tight end Hunter Henry, offensive tackle Michael Onwenu, and linebackers Anfernee Jennings and Joshua Uche.
Among running backs, a position for which the financial value has been highly scrutinized in recent years, Stevenson’s deal ranks within the league’s top 10 for average annual value and total guaranteed money.
Last season, Stevenson rushed for 619 yards and four touchdowns before an ankle injury sidelined him for the final five games. His best season came in 2022, when he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards and also registered 421 receiving yards.
Stevenson has expressed interest in serving as the offense’s featured back. He previously split duties out of the backfield, first with Damien Harris and then Ezekiel Elliott. The Patriots in March signed Antonio Gibson to a three-year deal, but Stevenson is expected to maintain a larger role.
“I think he’s one of the better backs in the league,” Mayo said last week. “There’s no doubt about it. I think over the last few years, it’s been kind of tough on him as far as getting started. So I’m excited to see what he does this season.”
To prepare for the increased workload, Stevenson cleaned up his diet this offseason and reduced his body fat percentage. He also watched film of Browns running back Nick Chubb to get a better sense of new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s run-heavy offense.
During Van Pelt’s four seasons in Cleveland, the Browns ranked near the top of the league in number of carries and rushing touchdowns.
Stevenson’s deal was one of the last remaining dominos to fall this offseason. Other transactions that could be coming are adjusted contracts for outside linebacker Matthew Judon and nose tackle Davon Godchaux. Both players are entering the final year of their deals.
Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com. Follow her on X @nicolecyang.