New England Patriots: Full Position Breakdown and Depth Chart Analysis at RB
For the past year-and-a-half, the New England Patriots have been stockpiling depth at the running back position in preparation for the departures of Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. Consider that mission accomplished.
Now, the Patriots have a new mission ahead of them, should they choose to accept it: find a No. 1 back who will be the bell cow on first and second downs, and the top option for third downs. The key words there are "should they choose to accept it," because in the past, the Patriots have not accepted any notion of the idea that you need a No. 1 back.
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Instead, they've embraced the NFL's trend toward multiback systems and the backfield-by-committee approach that has run rampant throughout the league in recent years.
That would help explain their approach and the composition of their depth chart, with a clear group of backs for first and second downs and another group of backs whose strengths lie in the passing game. Here's a look at how the depth chart breaks down.
LeGarrette Blount
The Patriots were not planning for Blount to be their lead back in 2013, or in 2014, but he was able to claim the spot both years. Now, with the No. 1 spot firmly within his grasp, it's time to see whether he can ward off the rest of the Patriots' backs for the opportunity to lead the team in carries once again.
Blount has been best described as a power back throughout his career, and earned an average of three extra yards after contact per rush attempt, which ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in 2014. Blount worked hard this offseason though, and appears to have lost some weight, so it will be interesting to see if he still has the same tackle-breaking ability that he had before.
"I've just been working hard," Blount said after OTAs practice on Thursday. "Doing everything I can to improve my skill set, just try to get better, do the things that they want me to do, and hopefully do a little more."
Blount has never been known for his ability in the receiving game—he has caught only 33 passes in his five-year career—but if he can round out his skill set and improve as a third-down back, he could put a stranglehold on a majority of the snaps for the Patriots.
Jonas Gray
The preseason and training camp could be when we find out whether Jonas Gray was a flash in the pan or whether he can carve out a role for himself in the Patriots offense. No one will forget Gray's dominant performance against the Indianapolis Colts in 2014, when he became one of only eight running backs in NFL history to total at least 200 yards and four touchdowns in a game.
That being said, no one will remember him having much of an impact after that point, though; he had fewer snaps in the final five regular-season games and three playoff games combined than he had in that one prime-time performance against the Colts.
It is hard to predict that Gray will be a big factor in the offense this year given his disappointing finish to the 2014 season, but it's impossible to count him out after the ability he displayed in that singular performance. At the very least, Gray could nestle into a solid backup role and complement whomever ends up with the No. 1 spot in the Patriots backfield.
Brandon Bolden
If you're a little surprised that Brandon Bolden is now the elder statesman of the Patriots backfield, maybe you shouldn't be. After all, he's the one who offers the most versatility, and when it comes to playing running back (or any position) for the Patriots, it all comes down to how many ways you can contribute to the team.
Not only is Bolden well-versed in both running and passing situations, he is also a core special teams ace, contributing on all four units (kickoff and punt coverage, and kickoff and punt return). In 2014, he had five special teams tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.
Bolden's running style is effective between the tackles but less dynamic in space; thus, it's a little surprising that the Patriots have used him far more frequently on passing downs (210 snaps as a potential receiver, 52 snaps in pass protection) than on running downs (89 snaps as a runner, 18 as a run-blocker).
That being said, his value to the team is made all the greater due to his versatility between running and passing downs.
Travaris Cadet
From Kevin Faulk to Danny Woodhead to Shane Vereen, the Patriots have always kept at least one talented, athletic and versatile running back in the fold for third downs. Now, that burden falls on Travaris Cadet, signed over from the New Orleans Saints for his vast abilities on passing downs and in the return game.
Cadet's role was always bigger on passing downs than it was in running situations; in three years with the Saints, Cadet totaled 45 receptions against only 11 rushing attempts. That imbalance probably has something (or a lot) to do with his ability to line up out wide as a pure receiver and run routes from that alignment.
He hasn't been a major factor as a blocker, though, with only seven snaps in pass protection in 2014 and eight snaps his entire Saints career. The Patriots may expect Cadet to assume a larger role in pass protection if he's going to factor heavily into the mix on passing downs.
James White
Consider the 2014 season a redshirt year for rookie James White. The Wisconsin product had some big numbers in a run-heavy system in college, posting 643 total carries for 4,015 yards and 45 touchdowns in his four-year career—and that was as part of a rotation, no less.
Perhaps even more intriguing, however, was the fact that he fumbled only twice on 754 career touches. In White's own words, "Ball security is job security."
Given his heavy workload as a true running back at college, it's interesting that he's often pegged as a passing-down option, but he's exhibited some of the necessary skills in practice, showing the speed and soft hands to do the two things Bill Belichick loves his receivers to do: get open and catch the ball.
White played only 31 snaps in 2014, and was active for only three games. Needless to say, he'll have to prove he's worthy of a bigger workload than that if he wants to make the final cut in 2015.
Tyler Gaffney
The Patriots scooped up Tyler Gaffney off waivers after the Carolina Panthers prepared to place him on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon. As a result, he missed the entire 2014 season, but still had an opportunity to learn the Patriots offense by studying the playbook and sitting in on meetings.
Gaffney was known for his between-the-tackles running style coming out of Stanford, but NFL.com's Nolan Nawrocki also praised his "good hands as a receiver out of the backfield" and noted that he was "very solid in pass protection" in his time with the Cardinal.
With that in mind, Gaffney could make a neat complement to Travaris Cadet, serving as the pass-protection back while Cadet runs his routes out of the backfield and motions out to the slot.
The Patriots could just as easily move on from Gaffney if he does not separate himself from the pack in training camp, but given his wide range of skills, the Patriots are more likely to find some use for him.
Unless otherwise noted, all advanced statistics obtained via ProFootballFocus.com. All practice observations and quotes obtained firsthand.
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