Blount wants to stay; Our RB situation

[Keyser Söze]

That SB showed we need to go younger

 

[PatsDeb]

I know I am in the minority, but I don't like Blount and hope the Pats don't re-sign him. He drives me nuts during the first half of every game he plays in when he runs straight into the line for 2 yards or less EVERY SINGLE TIME. He's okay at the goal line as long as he doesn't have to make more than 2 yards, and he's better in the 2nd half when the other team's D wears down and he can finally bowl them over for a few good runs. Otherwise, meh. There's got to be some-body better out there to be the big back on our team.

 

[Wheelman]

I can't keep believed we robbed Blount like that. 1 million bucks?!?!?

 

[Keyser Söze]

I know I am in the minority, but I don't like Blount and hope the Pats don't re-sign him. He drives me nuts during the first half of every game he plays in when he runs straight into the line for 2 yards or less EVERY SINGLE TIME. He's okay at the goal line as long as he doesn't have to make more than 2 yards, and he's better in the 2nd half when the other team's D wears down and he can finally bowl them over for a few good runs. Otherwise, meh. There's got to be some-body better out there to be the big back on our team.

Blount doesn't excel at making something out of nothing too. If the blocking isn't right and the hole not there, chances are he's not gaining positive yards. Other starting RB in this league could improvise and gain yards.

 

[varjao]

I know I am in the minority, but I don't like Blount and hope the Pats don't re-sign him. He drives me nuts during the first half of every game he plays in when he runs straight into the line for 2 yards or less EVERY SINGLE TIME. He's okay at the goal line as long as he doesn't have to make more than 2 yards, and he's better in the 2nd half when the other team's D wears down and he can finally bowl them over for a few good runs. Otherwise, meh. There's got to be some-body better out there to be the big back on our team.

Agreed but as part of a RBBC system he could be excellent, as long as he is not the primary back, he could be for us what DeAngelo Willians has been for the Steelers in the past couple years. And the 2nd half thing, that's very important, once we get a lead, BLOUNT THEM.

 

[patriot1136]

I really hope Blount stays, especially because he is such as bargain. If we can beef up the line than I think he will have another good year. I wouldn't mind having a rookie behind him that can learn from him though.

 

[Keep Up With The Joneses]

I feel the same way I did last year. Blount has provided great value, and I would like to see him back. Lost in this discussion is how much better the Pats ran the ball before Gronk went down. The decline of the running game after that tells me this isn't just about Blount. The O-line made great strides protecting Brady this year, but their run-blocking still leaves much to be desired, and I'm not sure upgrading at RB will solve the underlying issue.

That said, I would like to see Blount get a bit more involved in the passing game. The Pats at times are predictable when he's out there. He has caught a few balls in the past few years and looked OK doing it. I feel opening up this option a bit more would prevent loading up the box, and would likely improve Blount's performance.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I know it's not a great way to look at him. But, look at the last game of each of
the last 4 season. Blount played poorly at Denver in 2013, SB 49, at Denver in 2015(I know he was injured) and he was terrible in SB 51. Plus, he struggled down the stretch this year. Everyone is griping about the fumble which really stalled our momentum. I hated his run on 3rd and 1 on our first drive of the game. He literally stopped and was flat-footed when he got swarmed. All he had to do was press the hole and fall forward for a 1st down..Terrible.

I'm ready to move on. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman showed that
there are good rb's available without using a 1st round pick. Same will be true this year.

 

[PatsFan2]

Exactly don't mind having Blount as cheap back-up but they are many young RB's in this Draft who could permanently nail Blount @ss to the Bench.

 

[pazrul72]

Blount is one of the best closers I have ever seen but what he is not is an every down 25 carries a game sort of back. He takes awhile to get up to speed and goes down surprisingly easily for a 260 lb guy. I want him back but to teach and split carries with a young guy for the future. In the 10 carries a game 4th quarter against a tired defense role I think Blount would excel. He blows thru sloppy arm tackles and has enough break away speed to take it the distance of he gets thru the first line of defense.

I am no draft expert and follow zero college ball but from what I hear there are two work horse franchise caliber backs expected to go like top 15. Can you imagine Brady having a rookie AP behind him? Running back is the one position I would be 100% fine expecting a rookie to start at. Its the only one that relys almost purely on instints and athletic ability. You either got the gift and can do it or you don't. Sure stuff like pass catching and blocking or reading blocks can get better but the heart of the position finding the crease making a move in the hole knowing when to drop your head and plow are mostly instictual. So my hope if we do get a top 15 pick for Grop is we get Brady a workhorse for the remainder of his career. Plus worse comes to worst and the rook isn't quite ready Blount is at least an acceptable workhorse option. Upgradable? Hell yes but we can win with him

 

[RobertWeathers]

If we get a 1st round pick for Garopollo this might be the year to get a stud RB high to give Brady some relief in terms of pass attempts per game. And keep improving the O-line.

If the Pats are serious about extending Brady and betting on him for a few more years, that's a no brainer, don't think BB is not accounting for what those 4 games Brady missed might have helped him.

This.

Signing Blount would be smart as they groom the kid RB. With that said I don't think they will burn a high pick. 3rd Rd seems more inline with how this team perecives the value of the position in this offense

 

[RobertWeathers]

2 year 6 million dollar deal with bonuses.

Too high.

 

[Gumby]

He may want to come back, but Belichick is ruthless. Definitely not up to Blount, if BB thinks he finished, he won't be in a Pat's uni next season. To be honest, I'd be surprised to see him back. Spent a lot of the SB on the bench, and when they needed a 2 yard TD to win it, the guy who scored 18 TDs (Blount) was on the bench and they gave it to White.

That doesn't diminish how much I like Blount, he's had some great regular seasons for the Pats (and a nice game against Indy in the 2014 AFCCG), but in SBs, he's no Dillon or Antowain Smith.

I am not sure how much of a talent issue that was as much as a strategy decision to make them think pass (or at least respect it), while actually running.

 

[Kdo5]

If you watch all the various SB LI films it is clear that Blount is very emotionally invested in being a Patriot.

True. But from a talent perspective, we can and frankly should upgrade from Blount.

 

[Ronbo]

Blount doesn't excel at making something out of nothing too. If the blocking isn't right and the hole not there, chances are he's not gaining positive yards. Other starting RB in this league could improvise and gain yards.

I agree. His energy level game to game seems inconsistent. When there is early penetration he seems to give in and go down easily. When he sees a hole then his energy picks up and he hits it hard and then with his size he becomes hard to tackle. I would bet his median yards per carry is even lower than his mean. His Patriots teammates and organization have made him a better person and he wants to stay.
He left Pittsburgh apparently due to jealousy getting beaten out by Bell. This year , he fumbles in the second quarter and is basically benched yet is first guy on field congratulating James White- the guy who replaced him. He has gone from selfish to selfless. I was not a fan of this guy after his incident at Oregon but he has kind of grown on me. I think I would keep him on a very team friendly deal for a year and draft a big back in the mid to late rounds. I think if he leaves the Pats his career will dissipate quickly. He needs the Pats more than they need him. Tough call.

 

[deroc5050]

I know I am in the minority, but I don't like Blount and hope the Pats don't re-sign him. He drives me nuts during the first half of every game he plays in when he runs straight into the line for 2 yards or less EVERY SINGLE TIME. He's okay at the goal line as long as he doesn't have to make more than 2 yards, and he's better in the 2nd half when the other team's D wears down and he can finally bowl them over for a few good runs. Otherwise, meh. There's got to be some-body better out there to be the big back on our team.

Your not in the minority. Blount is an average back and I actually wanted them to upgrade him last season. But he surprised me this season, because he did the job well. I don't put much stock into these 1-2 yard TD runs. So I don't care about the 18 TD's. But its not as easy to replace a big back like Blount.. if it was Blount would have been replaced.

But he almost costed us the damn super bowl. After that Fumble it just took points away from us and Atlanta started there domination.

That Fumble ultimately led to the pick 6. So imo that Fumble seemed to cost us a -17 point swing. Maybe thats unfair and fumbles happen but not in the Super Bowl.. BB doesn't tend to hold onto players that cost us Super Bowls. Even though we won amazingly.

 

[deroc5050]

I agree. His energy level game to game seems inconsistent. When there is early penetration he seems to give in and go down easily. When he sees a hole then his energy picks up and he hits it hard and then with his size he becomes hard to tackle. I would bet his median yards per carry is even lower than his mean. His Patriots teammates and organization have made him a better person and he wants to stay.
He left Pittsburgh apparently due to jealousy getting beaten out by Bell. This year , he fumbles in the second quarter and is basically benched yet is first guy on field congratulating James White- the guy who replaced him. He has gone from selfish to selfless. I was not a fan of this guy after his incident at Oregon but he has kind of grown on me. I think I would keep him on a very team friendly deal for a year and draft a big back in the mid to late rounds. I think if he leaves the Pats his career will dissipate quickly. He needs the Pats more than they need him. Tough call.

Yeah Blount in the back field looks like he is running in glue.. but as soon as he takes 2 or 3 steps and get a crease or a hole he can explode.. but almost any decent back can do that. I think Blounts 1st step is very slow and its only going to get slower.. he is 31 or will be this season.

 

[doesntmatter1]

Blount seems cool and I liked him more than Ridley, but I am not attached. When it comes to strictly rushing, I honestly feel that the top 10-15 backs in the upcoming draft can do better than him. Hell, I'm convinced Gaffney could at least give us what he gives against tough run defenses(basically nothing lol). Blount's game is basically that of a bully. Beat up the inferior kid(Colts etc) and run away when met with a challenge(he doesn't actually run away but retreat to the bench lol).

 

[Adam Seward]

He's a 260lb wrecking ball. If the oline makes blocks to get him going, it takes a swarm to stop him and helps wear the defense out over 60 minutes. His type don't grow on trees and this year he was used beautifully, I hope he's got more in the tank for us.

 

[Simpelton]

As time goes by and Brady gets older, half measures at RB are going to be less and less of a good thing. Brady's going to slowly revert to his 2001 form -- still great, but great in a chip-and-dunk-and-work-the-clock kind of way, not a "throw bombs downfield and score a million points" kind of way. As Brady moves toward his last years he's going to be slowly whittled down to his core skillset of football smarts and situational brilliance, less "stud GOAT" and more "super crafty veteran GOAT" and that means that we are going to need more and more from the running backs if we want to keep scoring enough points to be one of the top teams in the entire NFL.

I'm not convinced Blount is that guy. I am convinced that BB is fully aware that ne needs to be looking for that guy. I think that if the Patriots acquire a bigtime RB, Blount could be the guy who holds the fort until the new kid is ready.