Free agent running back Stevan Ridley is healing from a torn ACL and looking for work.
Ridley has his first free agent visits of the offseason scheduled this week, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com reports.
A 2011 third-round pick of the Patriots who has spent his entire career in New England, Ridley had 94 carries for 340 yards and two touchdowns in the first six games before a season-ending injury last year. He is now about six weeks away from being cleared medically.
Given the injury and the fact that Ridley has spent most of the last two years as a backup, it’s unlikely that Ridley can get much more than a minimum contract. But as a 26-year-old who’s a couple of years removed from a 1,263-yard season, Ridley will probably draw interest from a few teams. And if he’s fully healthy, he may turn out to be a bargain.