Mike Patterson re-signed only 24 games into his career

At 5 feet, 11 inches tall, Mike Patterson didn't tower over other top defensive tackles available in the 2005 draft, but now he can say he towers over his draft class financially.

In a rare move, Patterson agreed to a contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles 24 games into his NFL career. The Eagles extended their 2005 first-round choice by rewarding him with a seven-year, $32 million extension that could be worth $37 million based on incentives and escalators.

The key to the deal, though, was $9 million in guarantees.

What makes this contract unique is that he's only 24 games into his rookie contract. In July, 2005, Patterson signed a five-year, $6.625 million contract that included $3.825 million in guarantees. By signing this extension, Patterson locked himself into $12.825 million in guarantees before his third year.



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