The Patriots have holes throughout the offense and Ramond Stevenson has proven to be a very good player in the NFL, but one area the Patriots want to invest in is at running back, especially given the style of football Alex Van Pelt wants to play in attack. . . New England is going to have a tough time, there’s no denying that. Having multiple linebackers who can do a variety of things is very important in today’s NFL.
The Patriots haven’t had a great offense since James White retired, and it’s time to fix that. Yes, you might consider it in the draft, but if you have the skill, you’d be foolish not to consider this route.So let’s take a look at what we think are the top 10 quarterbacks and decide if they fit the new Patriots.
1. Derrick Henry – Now 30 years old and with a prolific career under his belt, some believe Henry is gone and the Patriots want no part of him. I kind of agree, but Henry can still run, averaging 4.2 yards on 280 with 23 yards per carry, and his nose for the end zone never changes. One thing Henry has in his game is his improved passing game. Henry had a career-high 33 catches in ’22 and 28 catches in ’23. A healthy 30-year-old Henry is good for 1,400 yards and 10-15 touchdowns. They would pay a decent salary and there would be interested and competitive teams. The Patriots have cap space so they can sign him if they want, but Henry is not a good fit for the Patriots looking forward.
2. Josh Jacobs – What Jacobs are available? The 2022 version rushed for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns and collected 50 catches for 400 more yards? Or the 2023 version with 805 yards and six touchdowns on 37 catches and 296 receiving yards? There is a huge difference in the running game, but if you look at Jacobs’ numbers in the passing game, he has improved in some areas and his target numbers haven’t been the same. But it cannot be overlooked how far he has come in the running game. Jacobs is a very talented quarterback who would be a strong addition for New England, but his cost could push him out of New England’s reach. Given what he brings to the table, I think Jacobs is someone to watch.
3. Tony Pollard – Will the Cowboys look back on the talent they acquired last year or move on? Dallas is similar to New England in how they spend, and if they decide Pollard’s needs are too great, they will either move on to another free agent or select someone in the draft. Pollard isn’t as dynamic as the two quarterbacks mentioned above, and I don’t think he’s as talented as the next two, but New England needs him, and Pollard is the type of guy the Patriots have. Pollard rushed for 1,005 yards on 252 carries last season, but found the end zone just six times. He also caught 55 of 67 targets for 311 yards, making him a dangerous threat in both the running and passing games. Again, Pollard could quickly leave the market and return to Dallas if he feels he’s at the right price, but if that price is higher and makes more sense than other names on the market (we’ll talk about that another time), New England may want to move the former Memphis Tiger may be on the market.
4. Saquon Barkley – In a perfect world, Saquon Barkley would be of interest to New England and the Patriots would sign the most talented running back in free agency in 24 years. Yes, Henry had a great career and there are other very talented point guards out there, but Barkley is not one of them. Barkley’s issues are health and contract requirements. Barkley hasn’t reached the peak of his rookie season, when he rushed for 1,307 yards, caught 91 balls for 721 yards and 15 total touchdowns, but he’s still a great player. Barkley rushed for 5 yards on carries on the year, but the Giants have slowed his usage somewhat since then, causing his total to drop. 2023 was a slightly down year for Barkley, but the Giants struggled overall. In 2022, Barkley was CPOY with just under 1,400 total yards and one touchdown. Barkley is only 27 years old and his three-year contract could be the peak and end of his career. The Patriots are in desperate need of talent, and Barkley is that guy. If your team is looking for talent, a running back is a luxury. But when a guy like Barkley is on a team that wants to be tough, it would be foolish not to take a closer look at whether they can afford to pay him. At the same time, we will sign other needed free agents in areas of need. If New England wants to spend money in that area, they should focus on Barkley.
5. Austin Ekeler – Austin Ekeler will be great in a Patriots uniform, he brings a dynamism that this offense has lacked for a while. Ekeler doesn’t come cheap, and given the excitement surrounding Jim Harbaugh’s acquisition, he’s another quarterback who likely won’t leave his current team.
