New England Patriots: 5 post-free agency needs to fill in 2021 NFL Draft
Second, the New England Patriots must add a big running back for short-yardage situations.
Sorry to belabor this point, but I’m going to. The Patriots need a big back. Period. End of any logical discussion.
Relying on Tom Brady in 2019 and Newton in 2020 to do that job was foolhardy, at best.
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If they get hurt and you lose your top quarterback, you lose your season. Get a big back to fill this hole. It’s as wide as a gap that Trent Brown can open but if don’t have a basher to fill it, you’re toast.
It ain’t rocket science. The Patriots had no confidence in their mediocre stable of running backs to gain a first on short-yardage or to burst it into the end zone from one or two yards out. No one.
They have never even tried to replace touchdown-maker LeGarrette Blount since 2016 and it has cost this team big-time. Belichick has a stable of smaller backs and that needs to be augmented or the deficiencies in short-yardage will go on, and on.
If you can’t extend a drive, or score near the goal-line you are limited to kicking field goals and ultimately losing games because of it, even if you do have a reliable kicker like Nick Folk, one of their best signings of the offseason.
It’s time to fix that or 7-9 or 8-8 will still be in the cards in 2021. Just draft Rhamondre Stevenson, he’ll do nicely.