Heading into the offseason, the New England Patriots have a few key players that are set to hit the free agent market. This is forcing the front office to quickly decide who they should bring back on new deals for next season, and further beyond that. One of those players is running back Dion Lewis.

The versatile back is set to hit the open market next week coming off the most productive year of his career. According to Michael Giardi of NBC Sports Boston, there is a sense that the Patriots won't re-sign the 27-year-old to a new contract.

There is significant interest from New England to bring back Lewis, but he appears to be on track to hit the free agent market because of his price tag, and he'll likely be a highly valued commodity. He has proven himself as a dual-threat running back who is both an effective runner and receiver out of the backfield.

In the 2017 season, Lewis rushed for a career-high 896 yards and six touchdowns while also hauling in 32 catches for 214 receiving yards and three touchdowns while playing in all 16 regular season games for the first time in his career.

Lewis is looking to cash in on his best individual season, eyeing a new deal that will be well above the two-year, $2.6 million one that he just completed. He may also be looking for an opportunity to play with a team where he will be the clear-cut top running back, rather than just another piece of the puzzle in New England.

Bill Belichick

The Patriots aren't known for offering lucrative contracts and primary running back roles, as they have a strong reputation as a tight organization that usually takes a running back by committee approach to their rushing attack.

All of this foreseeably leads to Lewis hitting the open market, where he will have several suitors looking to acquire his services. It's just a matter of time before he finds a new home in the NFL with free agency coming up next week.