Burkhead and the Patriots have agreed to a reworked contract that frees up nearly $1 million in cap space for the team, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

The team is giving Burkhead a $550,000 signing bonus in exchange for dropping his base salary from $2.5 million to $1.05 million in the final season of a three-year contract. This improves his chances to retain a spot on the 53-man roster, but he may still need to compete with Brandon Bolden in a battle that will be determined in part by special teams value. The Patriots seem to appreciate Burkhead's versatility, but he may not be needed on offense if Damien Harris steps into a larger role. Burkhead is 30 years old and has missed 15 games in his three seasons with the Patriots.