The New England Patriots added a significant boost to the offensive backfield in a surprising move to sign running back James Robinson on Wednesday night. It’s a signing that puts the team in position to move on from Damien Harris if they wanted.
As of right now, that appears to be the case.
It’s hard seeing where Harris would fit in a running back room with Robinson, lead back Rhamondre Stevenson, Kevin Harris, Ty Montgomery and Pierre Strong Jr.
Robinson fits the mold as a power back to give the Patriots what Harris gave them on the ground, but unlike Harris, he has also been successful as a pass-catcher in the NFL. Sure, we saw that element from Harris when he was playing at Alabama under Nick Saban, but it really hasn’t taken off at the next level.
In Robinson’s first two seasons, when he was the lead running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars, he racked up a combined 1,827 yards on the ground and 566 receiving yards. That kind of versatility could change the Patriots’ offensive backfield for the better.
It’s still hard to see a player like Harris potentially walk out the door. He’s a hard-nosed runner that does all of the little things right, such as ball security, quick decision-making and persistently running with a chip on his shoulder. There’s also the fact that he’s just an all-around great locker room guy to have on a football team.
But change is the nature of the beast at this level, and it could be rearing its ugly head once again when it comes to Harris’ future in New England.
