Patriots tender contracts to Matt Lengel and Justin Coleman

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The Patriots have locked up two of their minor free agents, as the team has tendered contracts to exclusive rights free agents Matt Lengel and Justin Coleman.

Coleman, who will go into his third season with New England, seemed to fall out of favor with Bill Belichick and company down the stretch. He only took four defensive snaps over the final seven weeks of the regular season and didn't play at all in the playoffs.

However, Coleman has proved at times to be a capable cornerback, so that might've been enough for him to be brought back.

Lengel was signed during the season off of the Bengals' practice squad and caught one touchdown pass in the Christmas Eve dismembering of the New York Jets. The third-string tight end played 24 snaps in the playoffs, including 10 in Super Bowl LI.

UPDATE: the Patriots have also tendered offensive tackle Cameron Fleming. He received an original round tender, which means any team that signed him would have had to surrender a fourth-round pick.

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