According to Reiss Sony Michel to start on PUP

Sad, but not unexpected.

If he isn't ready to play week 1, Ill be worried

Doesn’t worry me. It sounds like he just had his knee cleaned up again which isn’t the worst thing in the world. Hopefully it was some loose cartilage and they’ve just trimmed it up.

The other thing is our RB depth is ridiculously deep which is good.

Harris will be a stud and will be a great compliment to Sony. Which will be good for them both and not wear them out.

Burkhead is as versatile as they come. Plays all 4 downs.

Bolden - ST monster and can take reps.

James White - Best 3rd down back in the league. Is also a better runner than he gets credit for, if he wasn’t the 3rd down back I think he’d get more carries.

TheRainMaker said:

Not for what he does. White is strictly a receiver,

Click to expand...

BS, one of White's best plays of his career was a run up the gut in SB51. White can absolutely shoot the gaps if the line holds up, especially if he's running behind a FB who can create a hole for him. He's done it dozens of times.

White isn't a pure receiving back, he's a Swiss Army knife, he looks like a pass catcher because we have a great quarterback, that's all.

Burkhead’s game is not between the tackles

Click to expand...

Burkhead is another Swiss Army knife, he's been up for a run down the middle whenever he's been asked to do it, and he's succeeded as often as not.

White and Burkhead aren't elite line pushing RBs, but they give an OC a full suite of options for setting up any given play . If the OC is on his game and can keep the defense guessing as to their role, that's more than enough to keep either or both of them viable in all facets of RB play, especially alongside Develin in 2 back sets.

and Harris is a question mark.

Click to expand...

No more than any other rookie.

Really there's no reason to sweat this. People are worried about losing #26's production, but they're missing the point because the reason for the production of #26 is #46, and he's fine. I have no doubt whatsoever that Devilin is going to make lots of holes for Burkhead Harris and White until Michel can take the field again. If anything this might mean we see more 2 back sets to try to set up some uncertainty and give the offense room to use its Swiss Army knives more effectively -- either Develin and White/Burkhead, or both White and burkhead out there.

That, and if the running game steps backwards a bit we only have the very best quarterback that ever existed to fall back on. Not worried here.

Snooky97 said:

Doesn’t worry me. It sounds like he just had his knee cleaned up again which isn’t the worst thing in the world. Hopefully it was some loose cartilage and they’ve just trimmed it up.

The other thing is our RB depth is ridiculously deep which is good.

Harris will be a stud and will be a great compliment to Sony. Which will be good for them both and not wear them out.

Burkhead is as versatile as they come. Plays all 4 downs.

Bolden - ST monster and can take reps.

James White - Best 3rd down back in the league. Is also a better runner than he gets credit for, if he wasn’t the 3rd down back I think he’d get more carries.

Click to expand...

If Damien Harris is accomplished at catching the ball as a Rookie that's going to be something.

oceansizer said:

First when BB drafted Harris it seemed to be a bit weird move to me.Now I know how brilliant is Belichick's anticipation.

Click to expand...

Not really that brilliant, considering BB had access to medical information about Michel that didn't leak out. the Patriots run a very tight ship. Besides, we knew that Michel was having injury problems, he played through them brilliantly but did miss some time, or am I the only one who remembers Cordarrelle Patterson playing RB against the Packers?

Besides, betting on a running back to be banged up is a little bit like betting on water to be wet. Those guys take a lot of wear and tear, and I doubt there's a single fully intact knee on any RB who played at least 3 years in the NFL, and I'm talking in its entire history. Gambling on needin to regularly replace at that position is a pretty safe bet.

Simpelton said:

BS, one of White's best plays of his career was a run up the gut in SB51. White can absolutely shoot the gaps if the line holds up, especially if he's running behind a FB who can create a hole for him. He's done it dozens of times.

White isn't a pure receiving back, he's a Swiss Army knife, he looks like a pass catcher because we have a great quarterback, that's all.

Burkhead is another Swiss Army knife, he's been up for a run down the middle whenever he's been asked to do it, and he's succeeded as often as not.

White and Burkhead aren't elite line pushing RBs, but they give an OC a full suite of options for setting up any given play . If the OC is on his game and can keep the defense guessing as to their role, that's more than enough to keep either or both of them viable in all facets of RB play, especially alongside Develin in 2 back sets.



No more than any other rookie.

Really there's no reason to sweat this. People are worried about losing #26's production, but they're missing the point because the reason for the production of #26 is #46, and he's fine. I have no doubt whatsoever that Devilin is going to make lots of holes for Burkhead Harris and White until Michel can take the field again. If anything this might mean we see more 2 back sets to try to set up some uncertainty and give the offense room to use its Swiss Army knives more effectively -- either Develin and White/Burkhead, or both White and burkhead out there.

That, and if the running game steps backwards a bit we only have the very best quarterback that ever existed to fall back on. Not worried here.

Click to expand...

White is very clearly the pass-catching/3rd down back in the vein of Faulk or Vereen before him that runs as a change of pace. Also, when did RBs begin shooting gaps?

KontradictioN said:

White is very clearly the pass-catching/3rd down back in the vein of Faulk or Vereen before him that runs as a change of pace. Also, when did RBs begin shooting gaps?

Click to expand...

James White caught for 700 yards and rushed for 400. I stand by my "swiss army knife" comment. He had a breakout year in his ground game and has emerged as a very well rounded Jack of all trades.

White may have entered the league as a pass catcher but that's not what he is right now. His improvements in his ground game got him to just shy of 1200 combined yards last year and I've been calling him The Secret Weapon for years now because of just how underestimated he is.

As for "shooting the gaps," I may have accidentally some baseball jargon, but the point stands, James "Sweet Feet" White is small and agile enough to find the holes, he proved that this year.

Simpelton said:

James White caught for 700 yards and rushed for 400. I stand by my "swiss army knife" comment. He had a breakout year in his ground game and has emerged as a very well rounded Jack of all trades.

White may have entered the league as a pass catcher but that's not what he is right now. His improvements in his ground game got him to just shy of 1200 combined yards last year and I've been calling him The Secret Weapon for years now because of just how underestimated he is.

As for "shooting the gaps," I may have accidentally some baseball jargon, but the point stands, James "Sweet Feet" White is small and agile enough to find the holes, he proved that this year.

Click to expand...

The rushing and receiving totals make my point. He’s Faulk/Vereen. They ran the ball as well as a change of pace option and to keep the defense honest.

KontradictioN said:

The rushing and receiving totals make my point. He’s Faulk/Vereen. They ran the ball as well as a change of pace option and to keep the defense honest.

Click to expand...

400 yards is a pretty good number for any RB who isn't the #1 back on his team. For comparison's sake Rex Burkhead delivered 131. A roleplayer getting in the neighborhood of 400-500 yards outside his specialty is actually fairly impressive, because it proves that he was reliable enough to be asked to play outside his specialty extensively.

Remembering that most rushing chances went to Michel, I'd say what White accomplished this year in the run game was fairly exceptional. The fact that you're admitting that he was effective in the run game proves my point -- White is a Swiss Army knife. Specialized in the pass but more than good enough on the ground to keep defenders off balance. That's what a Swiss Army knife is.

To illistrate my point a bit -- did you know that James White was both second in receiving yards on the entire team, and second in rushing yards on the entire team? Only Michel outrushed him. Only Edelman outcaught him. That's not a pure specialist. That's an all weather guy who can do just about anything asked of him.

I'm with Kontra on this one. White is primarily a pass-catcher.

I've never been overly impressed with White's rushing ability and I've always thought he goes down after first contact far too easily; it doesn't take more than a stiff breeze to get him on the ground.

That said, he broke off a few pleasantly surprising runs this past season and regardless of his rushing ability, he's a phenomenal pass-catcher/route-runner/pass-blocker, so I'm happy he's on the team and there's no doubt he's an integral piece. Just not as a pure runner of the football.

So multiple knee issues in the last few years is nothing to worry about because James White is Barry Sanders. Got it.

dreighver said:

I'm with Kontra on this one. White is primarily a pass-catcher.

I've never been overly impressed with White's rushing ability and I've always thought he goes down after first contact far too easily; it doesn't take more than a stiff breeze to get him on the ground.

That said, he broke off a few pleasantly surprising runs this past season and regardless of his rushing ability, he's a phenomenal pass-catcher/route-runner/pass-blocker, so I'm happy he's on the team and there's no doubt he's an integral piece. Just not as a pure runner of the football.

Click to expand...

White is pretty easy to underestimate on the run, because he's a small back, those guys live on elusiveness and aren't going to play RB the same way a big boy does. Michel also runs like a small back for the most part, most of Michel's big plays are the line/Develin make a hole for him and he explodes through it and gets loose in the secondary. Nothing White can't do.

White had exactly the same Y/A as Michel last year. 4.5, quite acceptable. They're actually pretty similar rushers, although White is smaller and has less overt power, he's more elusive than Michel (who is pretty shifty out there himself). He was our second most prolific rusher, and was about a match for Michel on the stat sheet, even if the eye test favored Michel.

Point is, Mr. White can definitely handle himself as a ball carrier and people don't need to pigeonhole him as a catching specialist -- catching isn't what he does, it's just what he does best.

I'm not here to claim that White should be a so-called bell cow back, but his rushing game is being horrendously underestimated in this thread. White has cemented his position on the team as our #2 back, arguably one of the best players in our offense right now. And his breakout year on the ground is a big part of that and should be taken seriously.

dreighver said:

I'm with Kontra on this one. White is primarily a pass-catcher.

I've never been overly impressed with White's rushing ability and I've always thought he goes down after first contact far too easily; it doesn't take more than a stiff breeze to get him on the ground.

That said, he broke off a few pleasantly surprising runs this past season and regardless of his rushing ability, he's a phenomenal pass-catcher/route-runner/pass-blocker, so I'm happy he's on the team and there's no doubt he's an integral piece. Just not as a pure runner of the football.

Click to expand...

White is a tremendous pass catcher but only runs to keep the defense honest. He isn’t a terrible runner but if he couldn’t catch the ball the way he does he wouldn’t be in the league. I would love to see Michel offer even half of what White does in the passing game.

Simpelton said:

White is pretty easy to underestimate on the run, because he's a small back, those guys live on elusiveness and aren't going to play RB the same way a big boy does. Michel also runs like a small back for the most part, most of Michel's big plays are the line/Develin make a hole for him and he explodes through it and gets loose in the secondary. Nothing White can't do.

White had exactly the same Y/A as Michel last year. 4.5, quite acceptable. They're actually pretty similar rushers, although White is smaller and has less overt power, he's more elusive than Michel (who is pretty shifty out there himself). He was our second most prolific rusher, and was about a match for Michel on the stat sheet, even if the eye test favored Michel.

Point is, Mr. White can definitely handle himself as a ball carrier and people don't need to pigeonhole him as a catching specialist -- catching isn't what he does, it's just what he does best.

I'm not here to claim that White should be a so-called bell cow back, but his rushing game is being horrendously underestimated in this thread. White has cemented his position on the team as our #2 back, arguably one of the best players in our offense right now. And his breakout year on the ground is a big part of that and should be taken seriously.

Click to expand...

They didn't have the same ypc because they are similar runners. He had the ypc he had because defenses expected pass with him in the backfield. Michel ran against stacked boxes because everyone knew a run was coming. When you let White run against stacked boxes, you are looking at a disaster.

Unfortunately White isn't a true dual-threat RB like McCaffrey or Kamara, he is a WR playing running back.

Starting Michel on the PUP list is about 96th on my worry list. This is a "much ado about nothing" story. We know what we got with Sony. His knee condition is real and there is nothing we can do about it. The Pats can only manage it and hope they can get 5 quality years out of him. No one will be surprised if he doesn't get the 5th year option.

And if we only get 4 years like the one he had last year, it will STILL turn out to be a decent pick in the great scheme of things. Not a great pick by any means, but a decent pick. In the mean time the RB position is one of the 4 great strengths of this team (2ndary, OL, QB are the others.)

Bottom Line: Sony Michel is a player that unfortunately needs to be "managed". That being said, I'd be surprised if he isn't activated within 2 weeks. It is what it is.

patfanken said:

Starting Michel on the PUP list is about 96th on my worry list. This is a "much ado about nothing" story. We know what we got with Sony. His knee condition is real and there is nothing we can do about it. The Pats can only manage it and hope they can get 5 quality years out of him. No one will be surprised if he doesn't get the 5th year option.

And if we only get 4 years like the one he had last year, it will STILL turn out to be a decent pick in the great scheme of things. Not a great pick by any means, but a decent pick. In the mean time the RB position is one of the 4 great strengths of this team (2ndary, OL, QB are the others.)

Bottom Line: Sony Michel is a player that unfortunately needs to be "managed". That being said, I'd be surprised if he isn't activated within 2 weeks. It is what it is.

Click to expand...

If we win 2 SBs (so 1 more) during his career and he is a major reason why I'll take it. Great pick.

Triumph said:

Ive never seen a team more cursed at drafting RBs.

Click to expand...

Except that drafting Michel was a good pick, arguably even if he never plays again. The Patriots won a Super Bowl that, IMO, they would not have won had they not made that pick.

Palm Beach Pats Fan said:

Except that drafting Michel was a good pick, arguably even if he never plays again. The Patriots won a Supe Bowl that, IMO, they would not have won had they not made that pick.

Click to expand...

That's an interesting question. Let me offer another scenario. Suppose the Pats had picked the OTHER Georgia RB. Nick Chubb. Chubb, who also excelled as an inside the tackles runner, averaged 5.2 ypc and 996 yds for a Browns team that didn't have the OL the Pats did.

I think a strong case could be made that Chubb would have been a better choice for the Pats if only on the basis of Sony's knee situation. The fact is that Sony's greatest gift, imho, is his eyes. He DOESN'T make many people miss, like Lewis did. He DOESN'T bowl people over like LGB did. What he DOES do is consistently get to the right place at the point of attack and get what's there. While he doesn't jump of the screen with individual talent, it would be a mistake to not recognize what he DOES do well.

That being said, I thought all along that if the Pats were to go RB that early, Chubb should have been the pick. It will be interesting to see who has the better career as an individual. Right now it seems that they are neck and neck.

Just a thought.

SBLIII said:

If we win 2 SBs (so 1 more) during his career and he is a major reason why I'll take it. Great pick.

Click to expand...

He's already a great pick. Without him they are knocked out Wild Card weekend.

If it meant a SB win and the 1st rounder would only have a couple good years I'd make that deal with the devil every single time.

Same with Mitchell