The New England Patriots re-signed veteran offensive lineman James Ferentz to a new one-year contract on Thursday. While not the sexiest of moves, it is not hard to see why the team made it.
For one, re-signing Ferentz now is preventing him from entering unrestricted free agency next week. It also helps the team keep its top backup along the interior O-line around for another year — all at a limited financial commitment.
As a look at the contract details shows, after all, Ferentz’s deal is a cheap one. In fact, it is even cheaper than its face value suggests.