The offensive struggles for the New England Patriots, particularly with the passing attack, forced the team to lean heavily on their run game throughout the 2022 season.
Even with Bill O’Brien calling the offensive plays, the Patriots will still likely make good use of a balanced offensive attack with the run game being a major part of what they do.
That leaves some questions ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.
If the ground game really is that important for New England’s success, is there a chance they pass on using their first two picks on a receiver, cornerback and offensive tackle to draft a high-end running back instead? It might not be as much of a far-fetched idea as some might think.
Let’s delve into the running back positional review for the Patriots ahead of the draft.
Who's on the roster?
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- James Robinson
- Ty Montgomery
- Pierre Strong Jr.
- Kevin Harris
- J.J. Taylor
The Patriots might have one of the deepest running back rooms in the NFL. Rhamondre Stevenson is an ascending talent with the ability to be an elite playmaker, and the team also added former Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets running back James Robinson.
Robinson was banged up last season, but if he manages to stay healthy this year, he could provide a strong one-two punch with Stevenson. His versatility as both a runner and receiver will give that big offensive brain of Bill O’Brien’s a chance to stew with ideas on creating mismatches for opposing defenses.
Speaking of mismatches, Ty Montgomery finally being featured in the offense will be fun to watch. He could serve as a third-down option for quarterback Mac Jones to utilize when attempting to keep the sticks moving in must-have-it drives.
Who left this offseason?
- Damien Harris
Losing Damien Harris doesn’t hurt half as bad as losing him to the Buffalo Bills.
The writing was already on the wall for him in New England with Stevenson surpassing him on the depth chart. That’s obviously more of a testament of Stevenson’s talent than Harris as a player.
When healthy, Harris is a strong and reliable runner coming out of the offensive backfield. However, the one element that has been missing from his game at the NFL level has been the ability to catch the ball. That’s one area that will be considered an upgrade with Robinson in the lineup.
But then again, Harris was a great locker room leader and a powerful slasher with the ball in his hands. It should be considered a loss anytime a team loses a player of that caliber.
Positional need: Medium
Robinson hasn’t looked anything like the running back he was as a rookie, when he racked up 1,070 rushing yards and seven touchdowns with the Jaguars. Injuries have clearly played a role in those struggles, but there’s also the possibility he’s a one-hit wonder.
Even after he ran for over 1,000 yards in 2020, the Jaguars still made the decision to use a first-round draft pick on Clemson running back Travis Etienne in 2021. So Jacksonville clearly wasn’t buying in completely to the early success.
The Patriots are banking on Robinson’s health, along with the growth of second-year running backs Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. to keep them afloat if Stevenson goes down with an injury. Things aren’t as certain as they once were when Harris was still on the roster.
Top draft prospects
- Bijan Robinson, Texas
- Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
- Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
- Tyjae Spears, Tulane
- DeWayne McBride, UAB
- Devon Achane, Texas A&
The biggest problem for the Patriots is the fact that this isn’t a deep draft class at the running back position. So they might have to spend either a first or second-round draft pick, if they’re hoping to land a real impact player, like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs.
That decision could leave them vulnerable elsewhere.
Still, adding another a home run threat to their offensive backfield could be the boost the Patriots need to get their offense firing on all cylinders.
The team would also have to continue their efforts in beefing up the offensive front to provide the right kind of protection for a run-heavy offense, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility with O’Brien overseeing things.
2023 NFL draft position preview
- Quarterback
- Running back
- Wide receiver
- Tight end
- Offensive line
- Defensive tackle
- Edge rusher
- Linebacker
- Cornerback
- Safety
- Specialists
