After making two of the splashiest moves of the 2011 NFL free agency period, the New England Patriots have locked up one of their long-time contributors, re-signing running back Kevin Faulk.
It's unclear whether Faulk is destined for playing time in 2011. He was placed on injured reserve after suffering an injury in Week 2 of the 2010 NFL season, and has been primarily a third-down back for the Patriots for much of the last five years; Faulk has not gotten even 150 touches in a season since 2003.
But he could also be a mentor to rookies Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, who will likely be the Patriots' one-two punch at running back before long. Faulk has been in New England for the entirety of the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady dynasty, and has the three Super Bowl rings to prove it.
Learning from a player like that might be invaluable for Vereen and Ridley — and Faulk's teaching may have been valuable enough for New England to keep him around in 2011 despite diminishing returns on the field.
For more on Faulk and NFL free agency, check this StoryStream. For more on the Patriots, visit SB Nation Boston and Field Gulls.