NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett on Thursday signed a one-year contract to remain in New England with the Patriots.
ESPN reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants pursued the 26-year-old during the signing period.
The deal is being described as a “prove it” deal by league sources, as Dorsett will be eligible to test the free agent market again in 2020.
Last season, Dorsett caught 32 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared in all 16 games and made two starts.
Although he got off to a slow start to the season, Dorsett came up big for the Patriots in the second half of the year, particularly the early playoff rounds.
Prior to a week 17 win against the New York Jets, Dorsett caught five passes for 34 yards and one touchdown.
“I knew my opportunity was going to have to come,” Dorsett said about last season. “They were going to call on me, and I just had to step up. And I was prepared for it. I prepared the whole time for it when I wasn’t playing, and at the end of the day, I was ready for it.
“When you get to the NFL, you want to be a guy that can be able to contribute and when the team needs a play, they’re like, ‘OK, we’re coming to you.’ You always want to be that guy. That’s just the player I am. I’m never going to stop working toward being that guy.”
Dorsett’s 76.2 per cent on completion rate ranks highest among Patriots who have caught more than five passes last season.
