Shane Vereen lowered his asking price to $3.5 per year
New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen is not looking for $3.5 million per season, dropping his asking price from $5 million per.
With NFL free agency rapidly approaching on March 10, New England Patriots pending free agent running back Shane Vereen has lowered his asking price from $5 million per to a much more reasonable $3.5 million per season, according to the Boston Herald.
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After winning a Super Bowl Championship, Vereen is certainly due for a significant raise. The problem is, the Patriots are known for not paying a hefty price for their running backs. Kevin Faulk’s largest deal with the Patriots was for six years, $15.05 million and Laurence Maloney got five years at $9 million as a first-round pick in 2006. They rely on their systemic game plan and schemes in which they can insert virtually anyone in the running back position and have success.
It seems that Vereen started his asking price at $5 million per year to set the bar high, expecting that the price would work its way down during negotiations.
The $3.5 million per price tag seems to be much more realistic for the 26-year old pass-catching specialist. However, the Patriots ‘have shown no willingness to touch that,’ according to the Boston Herald.
Vereen played in all 16 games this season with the Patriots, starting 9 of them. He registered 96 carries for 391 yards (both career highs) and 2 touchdowns. He also added 52 receptions on 77 targets for 447 yards (all career highs) and 3 touchdowns (ties career high). Vereen also added 6 carries for 21 yards, along with 18 receptions on 21 targets for 144 yards in 3 playoff games this year, including 11 receptions in the Super Bowl.
Vereen could be very valuable to a team with a pass-heavy offense, and he will most likely receive that $3.5 million per year price tag he is looking for from another team. It just doesn’t seem like it will be with the New England Patriots. If he can find a team with a pass-heavy offense and be put into a similar role as Darren Sproles or Danny Woodhead, he could really thrive.
With Shane Vereen and Steven Ridley both most likely headed to free agency, the New England Patriots will be left with LeGarrette Blount, Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden, and Tyler Gaffney as their running back core. Not for nothing, but the Patriots could probably make that work for them.
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