The Dallas Cowboys signed safety Barry Church to a four-year contract extension worth $12.4 million with $3.9 million guaranteed, a source who has been briefed on the deal said Friday.
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Church, who tore his Achilles tendon in Week 3 this season, received a $2.5 million signing bonus. Church has started just four games in his NFL career, but the Cowboys view him as a future piece of their secondary.
Church was placed on injured reserve in September, but the team was happy to give him a new contract.
"That's awesome," Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said about Church's deal.
"This guy -- and all you guys saw it -- he's going to be a superstar in this league," Ryan gushed Friday. "You get a guy early, and he comes out of that injury healthy, and this guy is going to be a fantastic safety. So it's real unfortunate, I think I shed a few tears on that one when we lost him for the year. I think it's one of those things you do have to get over, but it's fantastic for the Cowboys' organization, and hopefully I can be a part of his career for a long time."
The Cowboys host the New York Giants on Sunday in a pivotal NFC East matchup.
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