Mack Wilson became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday afternoon, but he isn’t changing teams this offseason.

The former Alabama linebacker will return for a second season with the New England Patriots after agreeing to a one-year contract, NFL Network and ESPN reported on Thursday.

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His prompt return to the Patriots might be considered surprising given that Wilson did not play a defensive snap in the final five games of the 2022 season.

New England traded linebacker Chase Winovich to the Cleveland Browns to obtain Wilson last offseason.

In 2022, Wilson played in all 17 games, with three starts, and was on the field for 236 defensive snaps – 21 percent of the Patriots’ total — and 284 special-teams plays. Most of his defensive work came in passing situations. Wilson registered 36 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one pass breakup and one forced fumble in 2022.

Before playing at Alabama, Wilson was a two-time All-State selection at Carver High School in Montgomery. He left the Crimson Tide for Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Wilson entered the Browns’ starting lineup when Christian Kirksey got hurt in the second game. Wilson went on to finish second on Cleveland with 944 defensive snaps and 82 tackles that season.

But Wilson went down in training camp on Aug. 18, 2020, with what was described as a significantly hyperextended left knee. The injury caused Wilson to miss the first two games of the season, and he didn’t make the first of his eight starts in 2020 until the sixth game. Wilson’s tackle total dropped to 39 as he played about 40 percent of the snaps in 2020 that he did as a rookie.

In 2021, the Browns beefed up their linebackers room, and Wilson finished fifth among Cleveland’s linebackers in defensive playing time before being traded in the offseason.

Wilson is staying with New England on a one-year contract with a maximum value of $2.2 million, NFL Network reported.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.