Patriots
“[Rhamondre] Stevenson is a superb participant. There’s no query, however with out Stevenson, if he goes down it’s Pierre Sturdy and Kevin Harris.”
Because the Patriots pursue DeAndre Hopkins, a former staff govt thinks they need to additionally think about including one other Professional Bowler.
Dalvin Cook dinner ought to be one other participant the Patriots goal in free company within the weeks main as much as coaching camp, Mike Lombardi argued on Friday’s “Pat McAfee Present.” In actual fact, Lombardi thinks that pursuing Cook dinner ought to be an even bigger precedence than going after Hopkins for the Patriots, citing potential depth issues.
“I truly consider Dalvin Cook dinner can be a greater match than Hopkins for [the Patriots],” Lombardi stated, discussing the Patriots’ depth at operating again. “[Rhamondre] Stevenson is a superb participant. There’s no query, however with out Stevenson, if he goes down it’s Pierre Sturdy and Kevin Harris. They want one other [running] again again there, and I feel Cook dinner is a type of actually good change of tempo, catch a display, go a good distance. I feel he’ll make an enormous distinction for the Patriots offense with Stevenson.”
The Patriots’ operating again room does have some unknowns behind Stevenson. Sturdy, a fourth-round decide within the 2022 draft, solely performed 51 offensive snaps final season. Harris, a sixth-round decide in 2022, performed 53 offensive snaps. Rookie operating backs not getting numerous taking part in time isn’t essentially new in New England as Invoice Belichick and Co. have usually used Yr 1 as a de facto redshift 12 months many occasions previously.
Nonetheless, the one different veteran operating again the Patriots have on the roster past Stevenson and two comparatively inexperienced operating backs is Ty Montgomery. The 30-year-old was the Patriots’ passing-down operating again to open the 2022 season, however that lasted solely per week as he suffered an damage that ended his opening 12 months in New England in Week 1. Montgomery has solely rushed for over 300 yards in a season as soon as in his eight-year profession and hasn’t posted at the least 400 mixed yards of offense since 2018.
In the meantime, not many operating backs have helped transfer the ball extra since Cook dinner in recent times. Cook dinner has rushed for at the least 1,100 yards in every of the final 4 seasons, together with 1,173 yards final season on 4.4 yards per carry. He’s additionally added at the least 250 receiving yards in 4 of the final 5 seasons, recording 221 receptions over his six-year profession.
Cook dinner may go hand-in-hand with Hopkins after they each decide their subsequent vacation spot. Cook dinner just lately advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he’d be open to becoming a member of forces with Hopkins and doubtlessly taking part in collectively subsequent season.
As of now, the Patriots haven’t proven any recognized curiosity in Cook dinner, at the least to not the purpose that they’ve with Hopkins. New England hosted Hopkins on a go to on June 14 and 15, with the Patriots reportedly feeling optimistic about their probabilities of signing him.
Lombardi thinks that if Hopkins “does a deal that matches inside [Patriots’] wage construction,” they might land him.
“The Patriots have a ton of cap room. So, in the event that they signed Hopkins, I feel it could be about getting the appropriate deal for this season, looking at him,” Lombardi stated. “Now, we all know he doesn’t observe on a regular basis. We all know his work habits previously haven’t been to the identical stage of the Patriots.
“However we additionally know the pinnacle coach respects the hell out of his recreation. So, I simply get the sense that it will find yourself [where he] gained’t take much less cash, which is able to form of kill this. However I do assume that , clearly, there’s curiosity on each components.”
The Patriots have a bit of greater than $13 million in cap house in the mean time.
Within the occasion that the Patriots by some means land both Hopkins or Cook dinner (or each), Lombardi thinks that Jones nonetheless has to indicate indicators of enchancment in 2023 to ensure that New England to take the subsequent step.
“I feel Mac Jones has to play higher,” Lombardi stated. “His rookie 12 months, he performed effectively. However he nonetheless had a 2.5 interception share on that season. Final season, he was precisely at 2.5 once more. He’s received to guard the soccer. He can’t make pricey errors. He’s received to do the issues the offense [gives him] and take income. We discuss this the entire time within the NFL, take the income. Take the checkdown.”
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