No deal reportedly ‘imminent’ between Patriots and operating backs they just lately hosted

Patriots

The Patriots hosted Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson Jr. for exercises on Wednesday.

Leonard Fournette was considered one of two operating backs the Patriots hosted for a exercise this previous week. (AP Photograph/Matt Slocum)

The Patriots confirmed an obvious curiosity in a pair of operating backs this previous week, however don’t count on a transfer there quickly.

There isn’t any signing “imminent” between the Patriots and Leonard Fournette or Darrell Henderson Jr. after the staff hosted them on Wednesday, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported in his newest Sunday notes column.

Fournette and Henderson’s visits have been due diligence by the Patriots together with them “acknowledging” that they haven’t changed James Robinson’s spot on the roster after releasing him in June, Reiss added in his report.

Working again may not be a urgent want for the Patriots as they enter coaching camp on Wednesday. Rhamondre Stevenson returns and is predicted to play an enormous function once more after his breakout season in 2022, recording practically 1,500 complete yards of offense.

However after Stevenson, there are a bunch of unknowns on the place. Ty Montgomery returns for his second season with the staff after struggling a season-ending shoulder damage in Week 1. If his function was something prefer it was in coaching camp and within the first sport of final season although, Montgomery can be extra of a passing downs again than one who will get constant carries (he’s had 41 or fewer carries in every of the final 5 seasons).

The opposite three operating backs are gamers who haven’t seen the sphere a lot within the NFL. Pierre Sturdy Jr., who the Patriots took within the fourth spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft, solely performed in 51 offensive snaps in his rookie season. He rushed for 100 yards on 10 carries and had seven receptions final season. Kevin Harris performed an identical variety of offensive snaps as Sturdy (53) and rushed for simply 52 yards on 18 carries final yr. J.J. Taylor is the third of the group and has been a follow squad mainstay for a lot of his first three seasons with the Patriots.

Due to the Patriots’ lack of recognized depth at operating again, they’ve been linked to different gamers on the place previous to internet hosting Fournette and Henderson on Wednesday. Dalvin Cook dinner was probably the most notable as the previous Vikings star has proven some curiosity within the Patriots on social media.

New England continues to be within the hunt to signal Cook dinner, Fox Sports activities’ Henry McKenna reported earlier within the week. The Patriots grew to become the betting favourite to land Cook dinner at some sportsbooks following DeAndre Hopkins’s choice to affix the Tennessee Titans final week.