The Patriots have applied a May 9 tender to running back LeGarrette Blount, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The tender is worth 110% of his total pay in 2016, which means that it is a one-year deal with a $1.1MM base with another $1MM in incentives tied to rushing yards. The rarely-used device could pay dividends for the defending champs.
[RELATED: Top 8 Fits For RB LeGarrette Blount]
The move gives the Patriots exclusive negotiating rights with Blount starting on July 22, provided that he doesn’t sign elsewhere first. Starting on that date and going all the way through Week 10 of the regular season, Blount will not be able to sign with any club but New England. If Blount does sign with a team before 7/22, the signing will count towards the compensatory draft pick formula for 2018. Without the tender, Blount would have been free to sign somewhere else today and that club would not have had to worry about hurting its standing in next year’s draft.
At last check, the Lions and Giants were the two teams with the most interest in the veteran running back. Last week, I ran down eight potential fits for Blount in the event that he does not wind up with the Patriots.