FOXBORO, Mass. — What do the Patriots, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention last weekend, have to play for over their final four games?
Pride, of course. No professional athlete wants to lose, even if doing so would help his team land a higher draft pick. But personal value is another important consideration for more than a dozen New England players.
Fifteen members of the Patriots’ 53-man roster are set to become unrestricted free agents when the new NFL league year opens in March, including a half-dozen starters and key contributors in all three phases.