Eight's A Crowd in the New England Patriots' Stuffed Backfield

(Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Sammy Morris

Sammy Morris has had one of the more interesting backup running back careers in recent memory.

He has spent time in Miami, Buffalo and, of course, New England, generally backing up more gifted, younger running backs.

Yet at each stop, he's been called on to perform when the lead runner goes down with injury, excelling each time.

In Buffalo he was generally used as a backup, given more than 15 carries in only one game in his four years there. In Miami he was brought in to backup Ricky Williams who, very publicly, retired to pursue his love of certain extracurricular activities.

Asked to suddenly step into a starter's role, he played well, starting eight games and gaining 523 yards on the ground with six touchdowns.

In 2005 with the Dolphins he bowed out for much of the season to rookie sensation Ronnie Brown. But he performed admirable in limited time, once again, averaging 4.3 yards per carry in his final year in Miami.

In New England, Morris has been a big part of what has been a running-back-by-committee, the sort of rushing carousel that has become common across the league.

In the Patriots' case, it's largely been by necessity rather than design, as injuries have struck in his two years in Foxboro.

In 2007 he averaged 14.2 attempts per game, the highest mark of his career, splitting time with Lawrence Maroney. Last year, he took on his most prominent role in the Patriots backfield, starting seven games, rushing for 727 yards on 156 attempts and hitting paydirt seven times.

He does have some character questions, though. Despite being an able backup who has rarely put a foot wrong while in the league, he was suspended for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Just kidding, he was suspended, but it was for taking Sudafed. What a terrible human being. He arguably should've known better, but this league baffles me sometimes.

There's little likelihood of Morris, barring injury, not being with the team this year.The question is not if he'll be on the roster, but how much he'll play.

The entrance of Fred Taylor is an intriguing one for Morris. While Morris currently occupies the top spot on the depth chart, if Maroney lights up camp he will silence many of the people in New England (and perhaps in the Patriots front office) who have questioned his talent, toughness, and desire to be a top back in this league.

News that Maroney's shoulder was broken from the second week onward, and he attempted to play through it, will give the young man some slack to begin camp, but Morris is in far better graces among fans and coaches than Maroney.

Either way, given the success with which the Patriots have rotated multiple backs the last few seasons, I would expect them to attempt to squeeze Morris onto the roster in any way they can.

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