It is very rare that a player guaranteed just $7.5 million can make such a difference at this level. But the New England Patriots, particularly head coach/general manager Bill Belichick, are known to find diamonds in the rough. Wide receiver Chris Hogan turned out to be one of them in 2016.
The former Penn State lacrosse player bounced around to four different NFL teams before ultimately landing in New England. Belichick, a former lax player himself, must have seen something in Hogan to sign him to a three-year offer sheet worth $12 million. The Buffalo Bills declined to match the offer, paving the way for him to become a Patriot.