New England Patriots: 3 offensive players fans can’t wait to see in 2021
New England Patriots Offensive Player No. 2: Rhamondre Stevenson
There’s been a clamoring for a big back for the New England Patriots to replace one of their irreplaceables who’s been gone since the 2016 season.
That clamoring would have come from this space. The guy who just may be the answer is Patriots 4th round draft pick, rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
The guy he has to try to replace is an all-time favorite back, LeGarrette Blount. Blount was a blunt force trauma-creator during his time with New England, notching 18 touchdowns himself in 2016, his final season with the team. He was never replaced.
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That is, perhaps until now with Stevenson. He’s listed at 6’0″ (perhaps a bit less) and 229 pounds, (maybe a bit more).
Either way, he’s a big back and he can hopefully do what no back has done since Blount was allowed to leave after that great 2016 season.
Since then, the New England Patriots have lacked a big-back who can excel in short-yardage situations. They’ve needed a big back to extend drives on third or fourth and short.
No running back has been able to do that consistently. Only Cam Newton could last season. In addition, they need a big back who can tote the rock into the endzone from a yard or a few yards out.
Again, the team relied on Newton almost exclusively to do that last season. They might as well have blurted it out from a loudspeaker that Newton would tote the rock in those situations.
Big stops in those critical situations cost the team dearly in 2020 and maybe even cost them a playoff spot, as poor as their overall offense was.
Now, Stevenson hopefully will fit right into that role immediately. The size and the talent are there. He gained 110.8 yards per game and had a 6.6 yards per carry output during his final season at Oklahoma. Not too shabby.
He also caught 18 passes with an 11.7 yards per catch output. He basically can do it all but if his primary focus this season is just short-yardage, so be it. He’ll do it well.