New England Patriots: Making Sense of Backfield
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) runs the ball as Seattle Seahawks defense closes in during the first quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The ‘big back’ role was filled by several different players last season, including returners LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray, but the most common player in this role was Stevan Ridley. Ridley was in the top-2 in terms of carries each of the four seasons he played in New England. This player generally starts the game and receives most of the carries on first and second down, but doesn’t play a huge role in the passing game.
LeGarrette Blount seems to have this role sewn up, but with the Patriots anything can happen, and Jonas Gray seems to be hot on his heels. Some have speculated that James Develin could see some time in this role, but it seems more likely that Develin will secure his spot as the team’s blocking fullback (via Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com):
"“James is a tough kid. He’s very smart, tough. Assignments are really never a problem with him,” Belichick said of Develin. “He’s been very dependable and durable. He’s physically strong and that helps him as a blocker or occasionally as an inside ball carrier, and he’s got good hands and he catches the ball well. So, he’s got a lot of things going for him. He works extremely hard and on a day-to-day basis, he’s one of the most dependable players we have.”"
Blount, however, should get a pretty big chunk of carries. He’s projected to be the team’s lead back on early downs, and is looking to have his best season since his rookie year in 2010 when he ran for 1,007 yards and 6 touchdowns.
He’s got a career 4.6 yards per carry average, and looks to continue that success in 2015. 2011 was the only year of his career in which he has started more than 7 games, so if he can stay on the field and be effective, he could be set to finally emerge as the true No. 1 back that many thought he could be coming out of college. He’s only caught 33 passes in his career though, meaning it is unlikely he could ever be an every-down back.
Jonas Gray is the other back expected to hold the ‘big-back’ role for New England. He was the team’s leading rusher last season, despite only starting 3 games. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry, but 2014 was the only season in which he’s seen NFL action, and it can be hard to gauge a player’s true worth from only 90 career touches.
This is the first offseason he has had to fully participate in a New England’s activities and spend his time working to improve instead of rehabbing, and he thinks that the hard work has payed off:
"“I think it’s just a mindset,” Gray said (per the Boston Herald’s Austin Kurkjian) “When you feel lighter, you play a lot faster. That physical part of my game is never going to leave. But being able to run away from guys and get more yards and get more out of plays, from watching film last year and seeing the runs I had that I could have took the distance or gained more yards on it, I knew that this year was going to be the difference between was I going to play more or was I going to play a little bit.”"
Gray has lost a little bit of weight this offseason, and when you’re a 5’9″ 225b running back, a little goes a long way. He claims to be faster and more determined than ever before, and he should get plenty of carries even if he is behind Blount on the depth chart all season.
However, Blount will miss the first game of the season due to a suspension, and if Gray can come out and show something great to his coaches, he could carve out a bigger portion of the team’s workload. Bill Belichick has always gone with the hot hand at running back, and that shouldn’t change this year. All Gray has to do is stay healthy, perform, and not be late to any practices, and he could steal the job right out from under LeGarrette Blount.
Next: The Roster