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After losing Dion Lewis to the Titans in free agency this week, the Patriots locked up veteran running back Rex Burkhead to a three-year contract. On Thursday, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin revealed the details of the agreement.
Patriots Rex Burkhead signed a 3-year, $9.75m deal with $3.75m in incentives ($1.25m each year). Got $5.5m guaranteed: $3m singing bonus, 2018 salary $1m, and $1.5m of his $1.75m salary in 2019. Has non-guaranteed base salary of $2.5m in 2020. Also $500k per-game bonus each year
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 15, 2018
The breakdown:
2018
Salary: $1,000,000 - fully guaranteed
Signing bonus proration: $1,000,000
Per-game roster bonuses: $312,500 ($31,250 per game - 10 games considered “likely to be earned”)
2018 Cap Figure: $2,312,500
2019
Salary: $1,750,000 - $1.5M of it guaranteed
Signing bonus proration: $1,000,000
Per-game roster bonuses: $500,000
2018 Cap Figure: $3,250,000
2020
Salary: $2,500,000
Signing bonus proration: $1,000,000
Per-game roster bonuses: $500,000
2018 Cap Figure: $4,000,000
The deal gives Burkhead — a four-down contributor in 2017 — some solid up front cash and a some future certainty. The contract is also a solid team value, ranking 23rd in per-year value at the position, and 19th among non-rookie contracts.
Burkhead joins pass-catching threat James White as the only other Patriots running back signed beyond the 2018 season.
After replacing a player in the top-51, Burkhead’s contract costs the Patriots $1,757,500 in 2018 cap space — giving the team just under $16 million in space moving forward.