And then there are seven.
Patriots receiver Marqise Lee intends to opt out of the 2020 season, according to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe.
Per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, Lee’s decision comes from the fact that he became a first-time father in February.
Lee received a $137,500 signing bonus, along with a base salary of $910,000, when signing a one-year deal to join New England in the offseason. By rule, he’ll keep the signing bonus and his contract will toll into 2021.
Given that he’s never before played for the Patriots and in light of the fact that Lee has never fulfilled the potential that made him the 39th overall pick in the 2014 draft, it’s not the type of defection that will cause coach Bill Belichick to panic (not that he ever does anyway).