Julian Edelman said in a radio interview with the Hill-Man Morning Show on WAAF in Boston on Tuesday morning that his new contract with the New England Patriots is for four years.
"It's a good day, it's a good day to be back, and it's awesome that I get to be there for another four years, and we'll see," he said.
The deal has a base value of $17 million and includes $8 million in bonuses and guarantees ($6 million guaranteed for skill) and $2 million in incentives, a source confirmed to ESPN.com.
Edelman, whose deal was officially announced by the team Tuesday afternoon, was courted by other teams in free agency, including the San Francisco 49ers.
Ultimately, the decision to return to the Patriots wasn't a difficult one, Edelman said.
"It was definitely, it wasn't that tough to be honest with you," he said. "You go on these trips and these visits and everything, and you see these wonderful organizations.
"You know, I got to go home and see the Niners, and I grew up a huge Niners fan. But being in New England the last five years, that's just home. I mean, that's just home for me right now and just the way the mentality of the team, how everything's done -- the scheme, the players, the locker room, the fans."
The decision to remain with New England means Edelman will continue to catch passes from Tom Brady, his close friend. That was a factor in his choice, Edelman said.
"Definitely. When you get to come to work and play with one of the best, it makes it a lot easier," Edelman said of Brady. "Especially with the kind of player and person Brady [is], along with a lot of other guys on the team.
"The teammates are definitely a huge part of that, and having the year we had last year, we got so close and we overcome adversity and all that stuff. Hopefully we're going to be able to build on that and do even better, hopefully."
Edelman is not the only critical addition for the Patriots this offseason, as the team has also added a pair of high-profile cornerbacks, including Darrelle Revis.
Edelman has played against Revis in each season of his career and was right to the point when assessing his game.
"He's the best [cornerback] in the league," Edelman said.
"There's usually two or three types of corners in the National Football League. You have guys that are long, lanky, good at the line of scrimmage, quicker than fast, long speed, good transition. When he's healthy, he seems to have all that. He's always very tough to compete against and it's great to have him join the team."
One teammate who may not remain in the Patriots' future is nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who has asked for his release from the team. Edelman was asked about the situation and whether he's spoken with Wilfork.
"I haven't and I can't speak on that," he replied. "Personally, that's not my job, part of the team to make those types of decisions. Obviously Vince is a great player, and he's a good friend of mine. And of course you want a guy like that around. But I don't know what's going on between them and you'd have to ask either coach or you'd have to ask Vince."
Edelman is focused on his own future, and he's excited to stay with the only NFL organization he's ever played for.
"It's just, it's something that I couldn't leave and I'm really glad that we were able to work something out and bring me back," he said.
ESPN.com Patriots reporter Mike Reiss contributed to this report.