Blount Re-Signs with Patriots

The RB/FB situation has filled out a bit

Blount
Lewis
White
Bolden
Brown
Develin

but Blount is currently the only legit 2 down back on the roster (Lewis has never demonstrated the durability for the role). The team needs a second one of those, whether it be from current free agents, from future teams' cuts, or from the draft. Given the additions at TE and WR, the 2 obvious QB slots, and the need for 8-10 OL, we've got what I think is a very interesting situation, with regards to offensive numbers. They really need another 2 down RB, but there's no room at the inn.

borg said:

Knowing how serious NE is in wanting to upgrade its running attack, I am relieved that the Patriots are bring back their upright running, low acceleration, 2 down starter coming off hip surgery. I can feel the LBs of the AFC East trembling as I post this
.
.
baaaaarrrrrffffffffff
.
.
Better get a new ice machine for Brady's arm………and maybe a sewing kit to keep it attached.
Get ready for 2 yard increments of Blount Force Trauma

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Couldn't agree more borg...Blount is horrible against Good/Great Defenses.

borg said:

Knowing how serious NE is in wanting to upgrade its running attack, I am relieved that the Patriots are bring back their upright running, low acceleration, 2 down starter coming off hip surgery. I can feel the LBs of the AFC East trembling as I post this
.
.
baaaaarrrrrffffffffff
.
.
Better get a new ice machine for Brady's arm………and maybe a sewing kit to keep it attached.
Get ready for 2 yard increments of Blount Force Trauma

Click to expand...

Steady, Borg.

Blount was running behind the least prepared offensive line of the Belichick-Brady era. DeGuglielmo was out of his depth with this offense and Blount paid the price along with Brady.

Blount, Develin, Lewis and Bolden is a good mix of styles for different situations. Losing Lewis and Develin early in 2015 had a major impact on what Blount could do.

Donald Brown was a good signing to this group, and my guess is that we'll see at least one more veteran with some mileage in camp and a draft pick - maybe as high as one of the 3rd rounders - which will yield a talented player.

Welcome back LeGarrette! Great to see you're back in the fold!

letekro said:

I hate the way this man runs.

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So do safeties.

BTW, other than Lewis, I wouldn't consider any of the RBs to be locks, or even near locks. In fact, in the cases of Brown and White, I'd look at them as easy cuts, and Bolden is only as secure as his ST position(s) make him.

TommyBrady12 said:

He ran for over 700 yards last year, which is not terrible for a team that had a running back by committee approach and a pass happy offense. With more touches he would have easily gotten 1000 yards.

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He ran for 700 yards in 11 1/4 games. He was on pace to get 1k yards and he was on his way to 100+ yard game against the Texans before he got inured. Had 10 car for 53 yards mid-way thru the 2nd quarter and got injured. Think BB would have kept handing him the ball in that one.

I'm not worried who the lead back is or who else is on the roster. It'll sort itself out. I just want Lewis to stay healthy. We'll draft a back for sure, even if BB gives us all the finger and doesn't pick one until the 7th round.

Reasonable. If they cut him during camps, not too big of a blowback here.

JMC00 said:

He ran for 700 yards in 11 1/4 games. He was on pace to get 1k yards and he was on his way to 100+ yard game against the Texans before he got inured. Had 10 car for 53 yards mid-way thru the 2nd quarter and got injured. Think BB would have kept handing him the ball in that one.

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And this is without develin or any other lead back.

goheels22002 said:

Steady, Borg.

Blount was running behind the least prepared offensive line of the Belichick-Brady era. DeGuglielmo was out of his depth with this offense and Blount paid the price along with Brady.

Blount, Develin, Lewis and Bolden is a good mix of styles for different situations. Losing Lewis and Develin early in 2015 had a major impact on what Blount could do.

Donald Brown was a good signing to this group, and my guess is that we'll see at least one more veteran with some mileage in camp and a draft pick - maybe as high as one of the 3rd rounders - which will yield a talented player.

Welcome back LeGarrette! Great to see you're back in the fold!

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Bingo! Last season's OL was a dumpster fire. If LB is fully healed, fresh and Scarnecchia whips the line back into shape, he will be productive. If the right RB lines up in the draft, take him and sort it out during camp.

I feel better having him on the roster at this stage.

This is a depth signing that covers one of the few remaining holes on the roster. He might make the team, he might not, but we know what we will get from him. The way I see it we can go into the draft and realize that we don't necessarily have to draft a certain position. I know we can sure use upgrades at certain positions, but we are in good position going into the draft. Just my opinion.

goheels22002 said:

So do safeties.

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He's a runaway train when he gets loose, but he's Charmin soft when there's tough yards to be had.

hornetfb85 said:

This is a depth signing that covers one of the few remaining holes on the roster. He might make the team, he might not, but we know what we will get from him. The way I see it we can go into the draft and realize that we don't necessarily have to draft a certain position. I know we can sure use upgrades at certain positions, but we are in good position going into the draft. Just my opinion.

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I agree. What if we don't get anyone in the draft and blount signs with another team? Then we are screwed.

Armchair Quarterback said:

Brown can do everything White can do but is a better runner, though that's really not saying much.

Assuming Lewis, Blount, Brown and hopefully a rookie make it. That would likely leave Bolden, Devlin or another Fb, a 2nd rookie, White and anybody else battling for one spot.

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Can Brown identify the man to block? All I remember is that God damn it, Brown! video from the choker. Then again the forehead wouldn't hesitate to blame someone else so maybe it wasn't Brown's fault.

Deus Irae said:

RE: Vereen versus White

Vereen's the better receiver
Vereen's the better runner
Vereen's the better blocker


Other than that, it might be close.

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White is a better receiver. Vereen had career numbers this year play all 16 games and getting 495 yards and receiving 4 TDs.

White barely played half as much as Vereen did and got 410 yards and 4 TDs. If he got 16 games as the 3rd down starter he would have blown Vereen's career best numbers out of the water IMO

OP spelled 'resigned' wrong. Welcome to my ignore list.

BobDigital said:

White is a better receiver. Vereen had career numbers this year play all 16 games and getting 495 yards and receiving 4 TDs.

White barely played half as much as Vereen did and got 410 yards and 4 TDs. If he got 16 games as the 3rd down starter he would have blown Vereen's career best numbers out of the water IMO

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No, he's not. Stop doing analysis only via statline.

Also, even just looking at statlines, Vereen had 59 receptions on 81 targets, compared to 40 on 54 for White. So you're not talking "barely half as much" with regards to targets.

TommyBrady12 said:

I agree. What if we don't get anyone in the draft and blount signs with another team? Then we are screwed.

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Now that would be an interesting strategy

BobDigital said:

White is a better receiver. Vereen had career numbers this year play all 16 games and getting 495 yards and receiving 4 TDs.

White barely played half as much as Vereen did and got 410 yards and 4 TDs. If he got 16 games as the 3rd down starter he would have blown Vereen's career best numbers out of the water IMO

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White shows the potential to be a better downfield receiver than Vereen, but when it comes to short routes, going over the middle, releasing out of the backfield, etc., for now I think Vereen's the better of the two. Maybe White can improve there, Vereen wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire going into his third season either.

Vereen's definitely a better blocker. He's a slightly better runner too, although neither are especially good in that regard.