The Facts: Vereen will likely be heading into free agency. He is hopeful to land a contract worth at least $5 million per season, according to a source.

Diehards Line: As Herald staffer Jeff Howe suggests, that's a sign of a player who wants to start high with his negotiations with the realization that the price will drop throughout the back-and-forth with his suitors, but the desire to get paid means he'll almost certainly hit the open market March 10 for the beginning of free agency. Problematically for Vereen, who would like to remain with the Patriots, the franchise has a history of not paying backs. Vereen had career highs in 2014 with 96 carries for 391 yards, 52 receptions for 447 yards and five total touchdowns while playing 16 regular-season games for the first time in four years. He also caught 11 passes in the Super Bowl after never totaling 11 catches in an entire postseason, so he is hitting free agency on a high note. Vereen is an extremely valuable back for a high-octane passing offense, similar to the way Darren Sproles has been for the Chargers, Saints and Eagles in his career. Therefore, he could be viewed as a big-time asset for teams like the Broncos and Packers that lack a passing-option back, especially knowing they're contenders who could ultimately use Vereen to hurt the Patriots. ... Stay tuned.