The Patriots have now locked down quarterback Tom Brady until 2017, and that has set them up to take care of a host of their own free agents this offseason, including wide receiver Wes Welker, right tackle Sebastian Vollmer and cornerback Aqib Talib. But going forward, who else could be next in line for a new contract -- or, at the very least, have their deals re-done? With the understanding that the contracts of Welker, Vollmer and Talib will be settled sooner rather than later, here are eight other contract situations that loom for the Patriots in the not-too-distant future:

Running back Danny Woodhead: The one other current free agent we’ve included on this list (for the complete rundown of all this year's Patriots’ free agents, click here), he’s not considered as high a priority as Welker, Vollmer and Talib, but he certainly has plenty of value in the New England system -- he was the first Patriots’ running back to finish a season with at least 40 catches and 40 carries since Kevin Faulk in 2008, and his catch rate of 73 percent (40 receptions on 55 targets) was best of any New England skill position player who was targeted at least 10 times. He’s coming off a two-year deal he signed late in 2010 that saw him make $550,000 in 2011 and $700,000 in 2012. He could probably command a slight raise, but don’t expect the Patriots to overpay for Woodhead.

Kicker Stephen Gostkowski: This is an interesting one -- Gostkowski signed a five-year deal in 2010 that includes a base salary for 2013 of $2.5 million, which is currently fourth highest on the roster. (That bumps up to $2.9 million in 2014.) This is not a commentary on his performance, but he could be a candidate to see his deal redone sometime this offseason.

Defensive back Devin McCourty: He has two more years on his five-year, $10 million rookie deal, which is scheduled to net him $650,000 in 2013 and $920,000 in 2014. And while he wasn’t able to maintain the same level of play he flashed as a rookie in 2010, there’s no denying that at this point, he’s the Patriots most valuable defensive back. He is scheduled to make $650,000 in 2013 and $920,000 in 2014, but could be a candidate for a new deal within the next year if he continues to play at a high level (particularly at safety, which appears to be a more natural spot for him than cornerback), he could be a prime candidate for a new deal.

Linebacker Brandon Spikes: The occasionally combustible linebacker will be entering the final year of a four-year deal he signed as a rookie, one that will earn him $630,000 in base salary in 2013. If he continues to trend in the right direction and stays injury free, he could be in line for a new deal sooner rather than later.

Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork: For all the talk about athletes and their contracts, when you consider the market, Wilfork may have outperformed the five-year $40 million deal he signed in March 2010. Prior to Brady’s reworked deal, the quarterback, along with Wilfork and Mankins, accounted for 35 percent of the Patriots’ salary cap. Now, with Wilfork scheduled to make base salaries of $6.5 million in 2013 and $7.5 million in 2014 (the final two years of his deal), he could be asked to do a little short-term restructuring, not unlike what just happened to Brady.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo: Probably the least likely of anyone on this list to get a new deal, as he is already operation on an extension he signed in December 2011 that means his current contract with the Patriots runs through 2017. He is one of four players on the current roster who are signed through 2017, a group that includes Brady (2017), Aaron Hernandez (2018) and Rob Gronkowski (2019.) His contract gets pretty pricey between now and the end of his deal with base salaries of $6.25 million in 2015, $7.25 million in 2016 and $8.75 million in 2017. You would have to think that those numbers would probably be restructured before the end of the deal.

Linebacker Rob Ninkovich: From a financial standpoint, Ninkovich may be the defensive version of Danny Woodhead. He’s become an invaluable member of the defense, and is entering the final season of a two-year deal he agreed to just after the start of the 2011 season, one where he’ll make $1.4 million in base salary. Like Woodhead, he’s not an absolutely must-have from a free agent perspective, but guys like Woodhead and Ninkovich have been important parts of the Patriots’ success the last few years.

Offensive lineman Ryan Wendell: The offensive lineman wasn’t an All-Pro this season, but in his first full year as the starting center, was an absolute bedrock in the middle for the Patriots, leading the league in total snaps played with 1,379. (According to Football Outsiders, he played 1,231 offensive snaps out of a possible 1,237 and 148 special teams snaps.) He will be going into the final year of a three-year deal that will pay him a base salary of $815,000. If he stays healthy and continues to play at a high level, expect Wendell to be in line for a new deal sooner rather than later. (One interesting note: Wendell signed a three-year deal on Sept. 15. 2011 -- one day before Ninkovich signed his current deal.)