Patriots Reportedly Meeting with Veteran RB Steven Jackson
To help with the loss of LeGarrette Blount, the New England Patriots are interested in bringing in veteran RB Steven Jackson.
The New England Patriots continue to struggle on the injury front. This time, they have lost starting running back LeGarrette Blount, who will miss the rest of the season with a hip injury.
With Brandon Bolden and James White now the only active running backs on the roster, the Patriots are going to have to make some moves. They signed former second-round pick Montee Ball to their practice squad on Tuesday, and do not be surprised if he is ready to suit up for the Patriots on Sunday. Undrafted rookie Trey Williams is also a RB on the Patriots’ practice squad, and he could easily be brought up to help fill in as well.
Or perhaps they may be looking to bring in a more veteran option? According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the Patriots will meet with veteran RB Steven Jackson on Wednesday, and there is mutual interest from the two sides.
Source says #Patriots meeting today with RB Steven Jackson based on mutual interest. Pats need a RB and Jackson played for OC Josh McDaniels
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) December 16, 2015
The 32-year-old Jackson is not the physical freak at the running back position that he once was, but he would still bring a solid set of skills to the Patriots’ backfield. Without Blount, the Patriots need a physical runner who can pick up the tough yards on the inside, and that is something that Jackson could likely do.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
As Werder notes, Jackson has played for Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in the past. McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams for one season in 2011, and Jackson seemed to fit his style well. Now, I am not saying that Jackson would come in and know the Patriots’ playbook as well as Tom Brady, but it would certainly be nice to have some familiarity there.
Jackson had lost his explosiveness in recent years, struggling to make a huge impact with the Atlanta Falcons. In a limited role last season, Jackson rushed for 707 yards and six touchdown on 190 carries (3.7 yards per carry average). Jackson is far from the explosive runner he once was, but he was not terrible last season. He is just at the point in his career where we have to adjust our expectation.
The Patriots could use some veteran stability in the backfield, and that is something that Jackson would certainly bring to the fold. Also, considering he has not played football all season, if he has stayed in shape, Jackson could come in with extremely fresh legs.
Next: Patriots CB Malcolm Butler Deserves More Credit
Also, with extremely limited playoff success throughout his career, you can easily see why Jackson would have some interest in joining New England. Taking one last shot to chase that Super Bowl ring has to be incredibly enticing to him. This move would make sense on a lot of levels. For now, let’s just leave it at that, but do not be surprised if we hear more about this later in the day.