Three former Patriots participated in the NFL’s broadcast bootcamp

The NFL offseason is in full swing, but plenty of players are not yet accounted for. Even though they remain unsigned at this point in time does of course not mean that they are just sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. A total of 15 current free agents, for example, participated in the NFL’s 13 annual broadcast bootcamp last week. In total, 33 players — either unsigned, retired, or under contracts — took part in the event.

Among the participants also were three players with ties to the New England Patriots:

DB Darius Butler

QB Matt Cassel

RB Shane Vereen

Former Patriots second-round draft pick Darius Butler, long-time backup quarterback and 2009 starter Matt Cassel, and pass-catching/Super Bowl-winning running back Shane Vereen are all on the open market at this point in time — and used the opportunity to work on a potential next career steps. They are not the first ex-Patriots to do so: long-time starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, for example, participated after his retirement and is now serving as an analyst in Germany.

Whether or not Butler, Cassel and Vereen travel the same road remains to be seen, but they certainly laid the foundation for a career in media last week.