The Facts: Signed away from the Bengals earlier this month, Burkhead will become the first Patriots running back since 2010 to earn more than $2 million in a season. The versatile former Nebraska star is a particular favorite of Browns HC Hue Jackson, who was Burkhead's position coach (2013) and offensive coordinator (2014-15) in Cincinnati. Speaking Tuesday at the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Jackson raved about Burkhead's potential in New England. "He's going to get his opportunity now, and he's going to flourish," Jackson said. "He's a really good player. A really good player."

Diehards Line:Jackson continued: "He's very versatile because he's a good runner, a good pass-catcher. He's a good blocker. He's very bright. He's been a sensational special teams player there so he brings a lot of different elements to that football team." Jackson viewed Burkhead as one of the better players on a roster that Ravens coach John Harbaugh believed was the league's most talented in 2015. And as NFL.com noted, over the past two decades, we've learned never to underestimate Bill Belichick's ability to identify hidden gems, exploiting "less populated" talent pools.