While LeGarrette Blount was serving his one-game suspension, running back Dion Lewis stepped in and put on a show. Lewis' Week 1 performance put his name on the map, and he's become a dynamic matchup nightmare for the Patriots.
Now, he's getting rewarded for it in a big way. According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Patriots have locked up Lewis, signing him to a two-year extension.
Yates reports that Lewis' base salary will be $800,000 in 2016 and $1.2 million in 2017, in addition to a $600,000 signing bonus. That makes the extension worth $2.6 million.
Lewis was out of football altogether last season, but emerged in training camp and early in the regular season as one of the Patriots' best backs. Through three games, Lewis has rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 15 passes for 179 yards.
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