Patriots giving big guarantees to underrated UDFA sends firm statement the NFL will regret not drafting him
The New England Patriots got one of the top undrafted free agents available after the draft, and they made sure to show their appreciation. Plus, it's also sending a message to the NFL about how they missed out on the opportunity. The Patriots gave UC David running back Lan Larison a $175K total guaranteed contract, which […]
The New England Patriots got one of the top undrafted free agents available after the draft, and they made sure to show their appreciation. Plus, it's also sending a message to the NFL about how they missed out on the opportunity.
The Patriots gave UC David running back Lan Larison a $175K total guaranteed contract, which includes a $25,000 signing bonus, per The Athletic's Chad Graff.
"Clearly they see some promise in him and a potential path to the 53-man," Graff wrote.
In each of the last two seasons, Larison ran for over 1,000 yards. Specifically, in 2024, he finished with 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns along with 62 receptions for 847 yards and six touchdowns across 14 games.
While the Patriots have veteran backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson and they also selected Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round, Larison could make a push for the 53-man roster due to his versatility along with his ability to contribute on special teams.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Alex Barth compares Larison's abilities to former Patriots running backs and special teams stars Brandon Bolden and Rex Burkhead.
The Patriots have put an emphasis on young players who can contribute in more than one area, and Larison fits the bill.
In "The Beast" Dane Brugler had Larison ranked as the 37th best running back in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Larison was one of 17 undrafted free agents the Patriots brought in after the draft, and was one of two running backs, with New England also signing Northern Illinois fullback Brock Lampe.
The 6-feet, 215 pound running back already has high expectations and will have his first opportunity to show what he's capable of in just a few short days when rookie minicamp begins on May 9. He is certainly a player to keep an eye on this summer.
Patriots signed undrafted free agent that the rest of the NFL made a mistake not selecting to add flexibility to the roster
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