Nate Ebner is ready to wear a new uniform.
The Patriots‘ ace special teamer and U.S. rugby sevens national team member is leaving New England for the New York Giants, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source informed of the deal.
Ebner has spent his entire NFL career with the Patriots, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2012 draft out of Ohio State. Known for employing special teams stars who don’t actually return kicks (i.e., Matthew Slater), New England inserted Ebner into 15 games in 2012 and ran with it through 2019, with the former safety appearing in 95 total contests, recording 61 tackles and one forced fumble.
The numbers will never be gaudy for a special-teamer, but the Patriots’ support for Ebner during the 2016 Olympics should serve as proof of how much his contributions were appreciated. Like a handful of other free agents this week, Ebner is going from New England to a team coached by a prominent former Patriots assistant in Joe Judge.
Elsewhere in transactional news Thursday:
» It was reported Tuesday that veteran running back Jordan Howard was headed to the Miami Dolphins, and now we now the deal’s terms. Rapoport reports Howard agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with the Fins.
» The Detroit Lions are signing safety Jayron Kearse to a one-year, $2.75 million deal, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
» Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander is signing with the Cincinnati Bengals to a one-year, $4 million deal, Pelissero reported.
» The Miami Dolphins are signing safety Adrian Colbert to a one-year deal for $1.775 million, Rapoport reported, per his agent.
» New England Patriots guard Joe Thuney signed his fully guaranteed, one-year franchise-tag tender, per his agent.