Tag: antonio gibson

Patriots RB Antonio Gibson discusses first meeting with Jerod Mayo

Antonio Gibson claims Jerod Mayo gives off a unique vibe as a head coach

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo was praised by newly-signed running back Antonio Gibson, who had plenty of good things to say about the coach’s demeanor when speaking with media members.

“Definitely a different vibe from a head coach, just from the one day I met him … it sounded like he was talking to one of the guys,” said Gibson, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I feel like that’s something that might be a positive thing in the locker room for him to be able to relate and communicate like that, and kind of understanding both sides of it.

“Also, he showed my daughter a helluva time, brought her into the office and treated her with love. I appreciated that, for sure, especially the first time meeting him.”

Gibson recorded 65 carries for 265 yards and a touchdown last season with the Washington Commanders. He split time with Brian Robinson Jr. and was part of a two-pronged attack within the offense.

He will likely fill a similar role with New England in a room headlined by Rhamondre Stevenson. His pass-catching abilities allows him to bring some versatility to the offense. He finished the 2023 season with 48 receptions for 389 yards and two touchdowns.

It remains to be seen what the results on the field will be in a new Patriots offense led by offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Nevertheless, it certainly seems as though Mayo is more of a player’s coach than his predecessor.

More details revealed on Antonio Gibson’s contract with Patriots

Here are the contract details on RB Antonio Gibson’s reported deal with the Patriots

The New England Patriots agreed to terms with running back Antonio Gibson on Monday on a three-year, $11.25 million deal. The max value of the contract is $17.25 million, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.

The figures include $5.3 million in guaranteed money, along with a $3 million signing bonus. He will receive $2.85 million in 2026, which is the most expensive year on the contract.

Gibson is coming off a 2023 season that saw him be productive. He was the No. 2 running back behind Brian Robinson Jr. with the Washington Commanders.

The 23-year-old rusher proved to be effective in both the running and passing game, tallying 265 rushing yards and a touchdown on 65 attempts. He also tallied 48 catches for 389 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Gibson is the first major outside move for New England in free agency. This is certainly a notable transaction considering one of the offseason needs for the Patriots was a pass-catching running back.

Report: Patriots expected to sign veteran dual-threat RB

The Patriots have reportedly agreed to terms on a deal with veteran pass-catching RB Antonio Gibson

The New England Patriots are expected to sign former Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Gibson recorded 65 carries for 265 yards and a touchdown on the ground with Washington in 2023. More importantly, he added a bit more to the receiving role with 48 receptions for 389 yards and two touchdowns. He split time in the backfield with Brian Robinson Jr. last season.

Gibson will add to a Patriots’ backfield that includes Rhamondre Stevenson as the primary back. He will give the Patriots offense a receiving threat at the position, as well as a good third-down back. This could particularly be useful if New England wants to develop a rookie quarterback. Quick and easy throws could be a recipe for success.

The Patriots have been looking for this type of receiving back since the departure of James White. Gibson will now help fill that role.

New England still has several holes to fill over the course of free agency.

However, signing Gibson is undoubtedly a good start. They have already locked up some in-house talent, and now, they are beginning to test the waters outside.

Commanders running back Antonio Gibson expected to sign with Patriots

Antonio Gibson gets a fresh start.

The Washington Commanders were busy early during the early tampering period, agreeing to terms with two Dallas Cowboys: defensive end Dorance Armstrong and center Tyler Biadasz.

Now, the Commanders have lost their first free agent.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, running back Antonio Gibson has agreed to terms with the New England Patriots.

Gibson was a third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft as a wide receiver, but Washington shifted him full-time to running back ahead of his rookie season. Gibson would lead the Commanders with 795 rushing yards, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt and scored 11 touchdowns as Washington surprisingly won the NFC East.

In 2021, Gibson rushed for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 42 passes for three touchdowns but struggled with fumbles.

The Commanders spent a third-round pick on Brian Robinson Jr. in 2022, and Gibson became Robinson’s primary backup/change-of-pace back.

In four years in Washington, Gibson carried the ball 642 times for 2,643 yards and 22 touchdowns in 61 games. He also had 172 receptions for 1,283 yards and seven touchdowns.

It’s a fresh start for Gibson, who was never properly used under former Washington coordinators Scott Turner or Eric Bieniemy.

 

7 running back the Ravens could target in free agency

We’re looking at ten running backs the Baltimore Ravens could target during the 2024 NFL Free Agency period

The Ravens have several pressing needs this off-season, but one exciting position to watch will be running back, where three players (Melvin Gordon, J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards) could all move on in free agency.

Baltimore could add a player in the draft, but if they want to make a splashy or value signing at the start of next week’s free-agent period, GM Eric DeCosta has plenty of big-named options to target.

We’re considering ten running backs Baltimore could target with the new league year fast approaching.

10 running backs the Eagles could target in NFL free agency

We’re looking at 10 running backs the Philadelphia Eagles could target during the 2024 NFL Free Agency period

The Eagles have several pressing needs this off-season, but one exciting position to watch will be running back, where three players (D’Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, Boston Scott) could all move on in free agency.

Philadelphia could add a player in the draft, but if they want to make a splashy or value signing at the start of next week’s free-agent period, GM Howie Roseman has plenty of big-named options to target.

The Eagles added a new offensive coordinator in former Cowboys and Chargers play caller Kellen Moore. He’ll look to institute a”physical, north-and-south run game” rooted in”getting downhill.”

With the new league year fast approaching, we’re looking at ten running backs Philadelphia could target.

1 pending free agent the Eagles could target from each NFC team

We’re looking at one pending free agent from each NFC team that the Philadelphia Eagles could target

Free agency is about two weeks away, and the Philadelphia Eagles have several players set to hit the open market. General manager Howie Roseman has to make critical decisions to fill roster holes.

While Roseman will likely look to the free agent market for answers, several in-house free agents are candidates to sign an extension ahead of free agency.

The Birds are set to have 20 pending free agents, and with another likely retool schedule on defense, the organization could conjure up a scheme for more flexibility.

According to Over the Cap’s potential transaction chart, the Eagles can easily create $35.4 million in cap space by making these five moves.

With the new league year fast approaching, we’re looking at one pending free agent from each NFC team that could interest Philadelphia.

6 pending free agents the Commanders need to re-sign

We look at six unrestricted free agents the Commanders should bring back in 2024.

In two weeks, the legal tampering period of the NFL offseason begins. NFL teams can negotiate contracts with impending free agents from other teams for two days, but nothing can be signed until the new league year opens two days later on March 13.

That gives all 32 NFL teams the next two weeks exclusivity in negotiating with their own free agents. The Washington Commanders have 28 free agents, 18 of which are unrestricted free agents.

The Commanders have a new general manager (Adam Peters) and a new coaching staff led by Dan Quinn. So, while other teams have been preparing for free agency, Washington’s new staff has been evaluating the current roster, including its free agents.

How many of the Commanders’ free agents should they retain in 2024?

We name six free agents Washington should re-sign. Not included are wide receiver Curtis Samuel and cornerback Kendall Fuller. It’s not that the Commanders wouldn’t love both players back, but Fuller is older, has some knee concerns, and has earned a raise. Washington can look to the draft to replace Samuel’s productivity for cheaper.

Here are those six free agents, for which we will focus only on the unrestricted free agents.

Ranking 2024’s top 12 free-agent running backs

Top 12 running backs of the 2024 offseason

Given what they gave Miles Sanders last year, the Carolina Panthers probably won’t be sifting through the open market for a big-name running back this spring.

But just in case you were curious, here are the top 12 free-agent rushers for the offseason:

Where were the Commanders’ running backs ranked in 2023 NFL RB Index?

Where were Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson ranked among all NFL running backs in 2023?

The Washington Commanders fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner after a disappointing 2022 season and replaced him with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

There was a lot of excitement and hope surrounding Bieniemy’s arrival, but in many ways, Washington’s offense was worse in 2023. While the overall metrics were similar, Bieniemy favored a more pass-heavy approach. The Commanders led the NFL in passing attempts and were tied for second in sacks allowed.

That pass-heavy approach also saw Washington finish dead last in rushing attempts. A first-time starting quarterback, Sam Howell, had 23 fewer rushing attempts than the next closest team.

It wasn’t because the Commanders lacked talent in the backfield. Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson formed a solid duo. Robinson enjoyed a bit of a breakout season, rushing for 733 yards in 15 games, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt and leading the team with five rushing touchdowns.

Robinson also improved as a receiver, catching 36 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns.

Everyone believed Robinson and Gibson should’ve been more involved in the offense.

How are Washington’s running backs viewed across the NFL?

Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew ranked 72 starting NFL running backs from the 2023 NFL season in his “RB Index.”

Robinson came in at No. 32:

Washington had the fewest rushing attempts in the league this season, due in part to how often the team played from behind, which limited Robinson’s production. Even so, the second-year back amassed 1,101 scrimmage yards in his first full season as RB1. We’ll see if he can build on that under Kliff Kingsbury in 2024.

Gibson came in at No. 55:

Gibson started a pair of mid-December games for Washington and provided underwhelming results. He had more than nine touches in just three games (including one of his starts) in 2023. He’s a free agent this offseason and could be in need of a fresh start.

That’s a fair assessment, but not necessarily Gibson’s fault. Gibson had some good moments; he just didn’t receive enough opportunities. He’s likely to depart, but with Kliff Kingsbury on board, perhaps Gibson could finally have an offensive coach who knows how to best use him.