Contract year players: Stevan Ridley

Stevan Ridley may not be on the Patriots next year if the money isn't right. (New England Patriots Facebook Page)

In a new series I am going to do, I will take a look at the biggest Patriots players at the ends of their contracts. The list includes numerous starters, reliable backups, and projects in the works. I decided to wait until all major moves in terms of roster cut downs and waiver transactions were complete before I assumed any of these players were securely on the roster. To start I will look at running back Stevan Ridley.

At one point this offseason, some thought Ridley could have been a roster cut due to the emergence of James White and Jonas Gray. After the cut downs, it appears that Ridley has secured his spot on the team. The question is, will he be on the team next year? I will start off by saying I'm rather neutral when it comes to Ridley. His fumbling isn't nearly as big an issue as it is made out to be, and he was a LeGarrette Blount away from having another 1000+ yard season last year. He acts as the primary ball carrier with the likes of Shane Vereen and James White to spell him in various passing situations.

Ridley is still on his rookie deal, which Sportsrac breaks down here. He will make just under $1 million this season, which is a very reasonable cap hit for a RB-by-committee starter. But next year the Patriots will have a number of options to take his spot.

First of all, the Patriots may have to decide whether they prefer to re-sign Ridley or Shane Vereen. I don't believe either have secured their spot on next year's roster, so it may be a tryout for the two this year to see who is more worthy of an extension. On top of that, the Patriots have brought on the likes of James White and Tyler Gaffney this offseason. Where White was a fourth round pick who could contribute this year (if he makes the game day roster someday), Gaffney was waived by the Carolina Panthers after sustaining a season ending injury despite being a sixth round pick. At this point in time I am not considering Brandon Bolden or Jonas Gray as threats to Ridley's future roster spot, but they are also in the picture on the roster and practice squad respectfully.

When it comes to a potential contract, one could look to the running back market from this offseason. Toby Gerhart got the most money, and LeGarrette Blount who arguably outplayed Ridley, was only given a few million dollars to do a lot of work in Pittsburgh. Other free agents in the running back market next year include: Frank Gore, Mark Ingram, Knowshon Moreno, Demarco Murray, and Darren McFadden. With these names out here, it could allow Ridley to re-sign at a lower rate given other available talent, albeit it is not exactly a loaded market.

As for how Ridley has performed this year, it hasn't been overwhelming. Over the last three games Ridley has rushed 52 times for 176 yards and 1 touchdown. His best game was against Minnesota where has amassed 101 yards on 25 carries, including a touchdown. His rather unappealing numbers could be skewed due to the poor performance of the offensive line, as evidence of the overall poor run game. There is still time for the run game to improve with Ridley leading the charge, but until then, Ridley's job is far from safe.

My final belief is that the only way Ridley is brought back is if Vereen continues to underwhelm on offense and Ridley is okay with taking less money on a short term deal similar to LeGarrette Blount. Overall, I would say Ridley's time in New England could very well come to an end next year.

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