Rapaport: Blount and Pats have mutual interest

[supafly]

They've been on the same team for years now. How can this be true? I think it's entirely possible that Blount signs and neither he nor Bolden make the 53.

Bolden could fall into the ST only category, but you're absolutely right that both he and Blount could stay and not even make the 53. The draft + injury situations will obviously play a part in that.

I don't think many of us are opposed to keeping LG for one more year, but he wouldn't be a lock in my opinion.

 

[supafly]

Blount going behind Bill's back to get re-signed, concerning. The inmates are running the asylum. This team is in trouble.

Naturally. They hate their coach.

 

[mosey threetupu]

In 2016, the Pats were 4th best in the league on 3rd-down conversions (with the 3rd most 3rd-down conversion attempts) and 7th best on 4th downs (only 12 attempted).

They also had the 6th most rushing first downs and the 5th most rushing TDs.

And yet, for some reason, a lot of folks seem to think that the Pats ground game is mediocre.

Blount literally did 75% of that ground game work, but he's mediocre, too.

I like this guy

 

[Jlaff]

Despite the great year Blount had, when I think of him, I think of a running back getting continually stuffed at the LOS. I know it's not anywhere near fair (including because when this did happen it could often be blamed on the o-line) but I can't get the image of Blount for no gain out my head. I wonder if other people have the same problem, and if that's where the apparent contract disconnect might be coming from.

 

[Tuck]

Show me a back who's played for more or less the vet minimum for the past two seasons and produced more than Blunt.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

White and Lewis are both great assets to the team, which has become increasingly independent of a classic running game and prefers spacing to setup their running backs against defenses that are stout up front. It's a brilliant strategy that will eventually catch on with more organizations. The Patriots may only "rush" for 40 yards against an opponent, but their running backs are giving huge production.

I am not sure that Lewis will regain his unique elusiveness he displayed in 2015, but he is worth bringing back even if 2016 is his new normal performance. White is obviously a keeper, but I expect he'll ultimately walk for more money ala Vereen and Woodhead, due to the Patriots cap/draft philosophy.

Both players are on relatively cheap contracts.

 

[meatface]

They've been on the same team for years now. How can this be true? I think it's entirely possible that Blount signs and neither he nor Bolden make the 53.

I just cant imagine that Blount looks at that depth chart and doesnt look for greener pastures

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

With all the RBs this is the year Bolden doesn't make the 53.

(My recycled prediction from 2016 pre-season)

 

[BlueThunder]

BB values ST's a lot therefore the Bolden signing......but I agree he could be a bubble player depending on draft pickups, injuries, and TC.....depth is always a good thing

 

[alvinnf]

AP was just here to get Blount motivated to coming back.

 

[mosey threetupu]

I just cant imagine that Blount looks at that depth chart and doesnt look for greener pastures

Any greener you mean money I agree. If by looking at the depth chart and thinking he has no shot of sticking I disagree. This is a guy who thought he should've gotten more PT playing behind the best back in the league. Oh and who led the league in TD's last year. Why would he be scared of this RB core.

 

[captain stone]

The Raiders are beginning to look like a fairly big pain in the ass. They've built a very competitive team, although I'm not one hundred percent sold that Lynch is necessarily a surefire upgrade to their running game. He may have some rust to him, plus they've lost Latavius Murray.

Their defense is horrendous

And Jack Del Rio is their HC.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

AP was just here to get Blount motivated to coming back.

Or BB was doing a favor for his agent

 

[supafly]

With all the RBs this is the year Bolden doesn't make the 53.

(My recycled prediction from 2016 pre-season)

Unless he fits into the special teams only category, of course. He is a force on STs.

 

[meatface]

Any greener you mean money I agree. If by looking at the depth chart and thinking he has no shot of sticking I disagree. This is a guy who thought he should've gotten more PT playing behind the best back in the league. Oh and who led the league in TD's last year. Why would he be scared of this RB core.

because they just paid Rex whogiveafunk and not Blount. Maybe you are right but LG was under 4 yards a carry last season and its not usually a good bet to think the over 30 RB will improve his ypc

 

[Simpelton]

Don't give a damn about YPC, because it's a stat that is only useful when the situation is taken into account. The Patriots look to get most of their yardage in the air. Half the time when they used Blount they only needed a yard or 2. If you use a guy predominately in short yardage situations, he's going to have low YPC despite doing exactly what you wanted.

The Patriots don't usually run for field position, so YPC isn't a great stat to track a Patriots style running game. Belichick did a lot of running with Blount on first or second and goal, and second or third and short yardage. Break the plane and move the chain. Or hell, just keep the clock moving on a time-chewing drive late in a close game. Plays that are necessary to success, but tend not to give a lot of yards. You could have given a lot of his snaps to any decent running back and they'd be OK at them, but Blunt was actually particularly good at prosecuting those snaps.

Hell, 18 touchdowns should tell you how frequently Blount was the man on the goal line and how much of his role was to convert on short yardage plays. Blount was very good at that for us, especially at exploiting teams with bad D against the run or exploiting teams that planned their D too much against Brady. But it won't give you a ton of yardage despite being an absolutely necessary and valuable contributions.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

because they just paid Rex whogiveafunk and not Blount. Maybe you are right but LG was under 4 yards a carry last season and its not usually a good bet to think the over 30 RB will improve his ypc

Why did bb give Rex over 3 million? I can not figure this out.

I understand Blount had a monster year as far as numbers go and he wants to cash in on that, but even he had to realize, he was cooked by game 12. Bb knows a running backs legs are the first to go.

The only way Blount comes back is on a very friendly deal.

 

[RayClay]

because they just paid Rex whogiveafunk and not Blount. Maybe you are right but LG was under 4 yards a carry last season and its not usually a good bet to think the over 30 RB will improve his ypc

You often get only one or two yards a carry when you carry 18 touchdowns, not to mention many short yardage first downs. Something to think about when evaluating statistics for a big back.

 

[RayClay]

Don't give a damn about YPC, because it's a stat that is only useful when the situation is taken into account. The Patriots look to get most of their yardage in the air. Half the time when they used Blount they only needed a yard or 2. If you use a guy predominately in short yardage situations, he's going to have low YPC despite doing exactly what you wanted.

The Patriots don't usually run for field position, so YPC isn't a great stat to track a Patriots style running game. Belichick did a lot of running with Blount on first or second and goal, and second or third and short yardage. Break the plane and move the chain. Or hell, just keep the clock moving on a time-chewing drive late in a close game. Plays that are necessary to success, but tend not to give a lot of yards. You could have given a lot of his snaps to any decent running back and they'd be OK at them, but Blunt was actually particularly good at prosecuting those snaps.

Hell, 18 touchdowns should tell you how frequently Blount was the man on the goal line and how much of his role was to convert on short yardage plays. Blount was very good at that for us, especially at exploiting teams with bad D against the run or exploiting teams that planned their D too much against Brady. But it won't give you a ton of yardage despite being an absolutely necessary and valuable contributions.

Well done. didn't see your post.

 

[resdubwhite]

Would like to see him get a paycheck. Guy bought into the patriot way totally.