Patriots
Stevenson rushed for over 1,000 yards final season, however White and different analysts suppose he can attain the next degree of play in 2023.
Rhamondre Stevenson had a standout season in 2022. James White thinks he can have an excellent greater season in 2023.
In an interview with ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the previous Patriots operating again in contrast New England’s backfield state of affairs to the time shortly earlier than he joined the crew in 2014, saying he seems like there’s a “transition there now.”
That transition, which noticed the departure of Damien Harris plus the signing and releasing of James Robinson this offseason, has led to Stevenson being the clear-cut No. 1 operating again on the Patriots’ depth chart. After Stevenson shouldered quite a lot of the burden out of the backfield for a great chunk of final season, White thinks the third-year operating again has a first-rate alternative forward of him.
“It’s not so usually as a Patriots operating again that you simply’re on the market that many snaps,” White informed Reiss. “[Coach] Invoice [Belichick] loves that man, so he simply has to capitalize on the chance.”
White actually isn’t mistaken in his evaluation of how usually Stevenson was used final season. He performed in 66 p.c of the Patriots’ offensive snaps in 2022. Not solely is {that a} excessive proportion of snaps performed for a crew that traditionally makes use of a operating again by committee method, nevertheless it’s additionally the best proportion of snaps performed by a Patriots operating again since no less than 2011, which is the place Professional Soccer Reference’s snap rely knowledge cuts off.
Stevenson was additionally used loads when he was on the sphere. He had 210 carries and 69 receptions, giving him 279 touches on the season. That was tied for the Tenth-most within the league amongst all operating backs and was only one contact behind for ninth. It’s additionally essentially the most quantity of touches a Patriots operating again has had in a season since 2016, when LeGarrette Blount had 299 carries and 7 receptions.
Stevenson’s play was sufficient to provide Belichick and the remainder of the offensive teaching employees purpose to make use of him as a lot as they did. He rushed for 1,040 yards on an environment friendly 5.0 yards per carry and 5 touchdowns. His 69 receptions had been a team-high, proving to be a security valve for Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe as he added 421 receiving yards and a receiving landing. That’s a part of the explanation why White and different analysts suppose Stevenson can hit one other degree of play in 2023.
“Stevenson is contemporary off his first 1,000-yard season, however the third-year professional ought to be even higher in an offense designed and directed by an skilled offensive coordinator,” NFL Community’s Bucky Brooks wrote earlier in June when he tabbed Stevenson because the operating again most probably to have a breakout season. “Invoice O’Brien will put the ball within the fingers of the rugged runner to set the desk for Mac Jones and a complementary play-action passing sport.
“To not point out, New England’s second-leading rusher from 2022, Damien Harris, departed in free company to Buffalo. So that is Rhamondre’s present. As a three-down playmaker with the dimensions, energy, and ability to shoulder a heavy workload, Stevenson might submit huge numbers this season.”
With Harris gone and Robinson already launched, the Patriots have a number of unknowns behind Stevenson. Their most veteran operating again is Ty Montgomery. The 30-year-old joined the Patriots final season and was set to be their passing-down operating again however he suffered a season-ending harm in Week 1. Despite the fact that Montgomery was in-line for a notable function final season, he’s recorded fewer than 200 yards of offense in every of the final 4 years.
Behind Stevenson and Montgomery, the one different operating backs on the Patriots roster are Pierre Robust Jr., Kevin Harris, and J.J. Taylor. Robust (a fourth-round decide) and Harris (a sixth-round decide) had been each chosen by the Patriots in final yr’s draft, however neither noticed the sphere a lot. Robust performed simply 51 offensive snaps, and Harris performed 53 offensive snaps, whereas Taylor has been a follow squad mainstay in his three seasons with the crew.
White likes the operating again group although, even when they lack expertise or pedigree. He mentioned that Robust “has the velocity” and Harris “is a bodily runner” whereas pointing at Montgomery as somebody who he thinks may help shoulder the burden with Stevenson in 2023.
“I see a bunch of proficient younger guys after which a savvy veteran in Ty, if he can keep wholesome, to form of lead these guys alongside,” White informed Reiss. “Being round him a bit bit final yr, in OTAs and coaching camp, [Ty is] a man who seems like he’s nonetheless making an attempt to show himself and feels he has loads left within the tank … he simply hasn’t fairly had a real alternative.
“With Invoice O’Brien coming again [as offensive coordinator], they’ll most likely get again to having a ‘sub again,’ and I really feel like he’ll be the man to take that on in the event that they don’t have Rhamondre tackle the total load.”
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