Cornerback Alex Austin returning to Patriots for 2024 season
BOSTON -- Alex Austin got an opportunity in 2023 and ran with it. Now, he's getting another one.
The 22-year-old cornerback announced on Twitter that he'll be back in Foxboro for the 2024 season.
It’s official.. I’m back for another one!! Can’t wait to turn up with y’all this season… Let’s run it! #ForeverNE 💙❤️
— Alex Austin (@kinnggalex) March 7, 2024
Austin entered the league as a seventh-round pick out of Oregon State last season, spending time with the Bills and Texans before signing with the Patriots in early November. He made his Patriots debut on Thursday Night Football in Pittsburgh in Week 14, and he got his first career start a week later against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. He recorded his first career interception in Week 17, picking off Josh Allen in a Patriots loss to Buffalo.
Austin played five games for New England, registering the one interception, one more pass defense and nine total tackles (seven solo).
Austin was set to be an exclusive rights free agent, meaning the Patriots only had to offer him a league-minimum contract for him to be retained. While he won't be occupying the top spots of the Patriots' cornerback depth chart -- spots taken by Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones -- Austin figures to have a solid shot to compete for a depth spot on the roster.