The Patriots signed LeGarrette Blount this week, much to the consternation of everyone who added Jonas Gray in their leagues. Maybe, though, the Blount move is more a deal for the future than the present.
We discussed in the ReDrafter text how the Patriots tend to run the ball more in the second half of the season than the first. A year ago they averaged nearly 20 more rushing yards per game in the last eight games compared to the first, and scored almost twice as many rushing touchdowns. Blount, of course, was a big part of that.
But for now, Blount might just be an insurance policy behind Gray, and a player they want to have locked up for next season. (New England signed him to a two-year deal which runs through the 2015 season.) Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden are all free agents after this year.
So next preseason, the only players under contract in the backfield might be Gray, Blount and James White, who's more of a Vereen type back. It's not a given that Blount has a significant role with the Patriots in 2014. He might not play much at all unless Gray falters or gets hurt.
For what it's worth, Bill Belichick indicates the team has made no promises to Blount about playing time. It's not a given he'll have any more of a role than Bolden has had to this point.
That said, there's a report that Gray showed up late to practice today. Hoo boy. Not going to help him keep that main inside running role. We weren't too excited to start Gray against the Lions anyway, but this makes his outlook even dicier.
--Andy Richardson