Core special teams player Nate Ebner wants to return to New England.
“I mean, that would be the best thing, I think, when you consider my entire career has been here,” Ebner said Wednesday night, via Zack Cox of NESN. “I understand how things go. I’ve got some true friendships here.
“I understand how things work. That would be great. But right now, it’s out of my hands, so we’ll see what happens, and I’ll just take it as it goes. We’ll see.”
Ebner is one of 19 Patriots scheduled to hit free agency March 18.
The Patriots drafted him in the sixth round in 2012, and he has won three Super Bowls and earned a second-team All-Pro selection as a special teamer.
Ebner made seven special teams tackles in 14 games last season, tying Matthew Slater and Brandon Bolden for the team lead.
He last signed a new contract in 2018, a two-year, $5 million deal.