pats1, if you have repeatedly scratched your head over the interest in all of these running backs, shouldn't that affect your "confidence" in some way?
It's not unreasonable to consider the team carrying Maroney, Faulk, Morris, and Jordan when you consider the versatility all provide (Jones and Bell bring versatility, as well, which I believe to be the reason for the interest in them).
You raised the point that the Patriots have only carried a fifth RB when that fifth player also has the potentiality to play fullback (I don't know if that's entirely true, but for the sake of the argument I'm going to accept it), well, Morris has experience as a lead blocker in Miami. He may be working on that later in camp (it'll be interesting to follow and I'd assume would say a lot about the back situation).
Another thing to keep in mind is that gameday inactives are not concrete. They vary depending on gameplan and opponent. The inactives can also make a considerable impact during practice and with someone as versatile as Jordan has been in the past, he could probably emulate a great deal of opposing backs. Morris, too.
Morris, in my opinion, is a better backup to the backup because of the FB/RB possibility, a well-rounded game, and his special teams ability. I don't know if Jordan has been much of a 'teamer in the past, but he may have to play there in New England.
These guys are brought in (or looked at) as competition, it is foolhardy to declare, in July, that a talented player like Jordan will absolutely not either beat out Sammy Morris (who's never been as good and is coming off an injury that none of us know with any degree of certainty won't affect his play this year) or make the team.
On Sammy Morris, yeah, he was good last season but it was also against a lot of lousy teams. Against a much better run defense in the Cowboys he was ineffective (granted, Wade Phillips also made it a point to stop the run. Yeah, good idea, Wade). He, as a player, is certainly replaceable.