Tag: Kevin Harris

Two surprise cuts return to Patriots in 13 practice squad signings

Patriots have confirmed 13 practice squad signings

Two surprise names were on the list of 13 players signed to the New England Patriots practice squad.

On Wednesday, the Patriots revealed they had signed tackle Liam Fornadel, running back Kevin Harris, running back Terrell Jennings, wide receiver Matt Landers, defensive end Jotham Russell, safety A.J. Thomas and tight end Mitchell Wilcox.

There were six more additions on Thursday with the signings of wide receiver Jalen Reagor, defensive end Brevin Allen, guard Jerome Carvin, defensive tackle Trysten Hill, offensive lineman Bryan Hudson and Guard Michael Jordan.

The return of Reagor and Harris is good news considering they were initially viewed as surprise cuts for the Patriots. Reagor worked in the offense as a gadget receiver with special teams usage as a returner.

Meanwhile, Harris was believed to be the No. 3 option at running back before he was edged out in the competition by veteran JaMycal Hasty.

Along with Jennings, his presence on the practice squad gives the Patriots more Rhamondre Stevenson insurance. On the defensive side of the ball, Thomas and Hill are two players to watch out for as potential contributors.

The work isn’t done yet for New England with 13-of-16 practice squad spots filled.

Why adding another RB could prove beneficial for Patriots

Should the Patriots add another veteran running back?

It’s no secret that running back Rhamondre Stevenson is going to be the bell cow for the New England Patriots. The organization also added to the position in free agency by signing third-down back Antonio Gibson.

But even with all of that talent in the offensive backfield, an argument could be made that the Patriots still have work to do in rounding out their depth in the running backs room.

Stevenson is undoubtedly productive, but injuries caught up to him last year. His season ended in Week 13 with a high ankle sprain. He also had a concussion and knee injuries in 2021. He is not necessarily an injury-prone player, but his injuries are worth monitoring.

Stevenson played a total of 486 snaps in 2023. That number was considerably down from the 699 snaps he played the year before, when he had a career-high 1,040 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Stevenson did admit to feeling worn down by the end of the 2022 season, and there was likely carryover into last season as well.

This is where Patriots backup running back Kevin Harris could play a large role in things. He only played 34 snaps at the running back position last season. This could be an opportunity for him to step up. Nevertheless, the uncertainty over whether he can provide consistent production is something to consider.

It’s not as if Gibson can’t take over the role as the No. 2 running back considering he played that role in Washington with the Commanders. He had 473 total snaps to Brian Robinson’s 496. His highest snap count came in Week 3 when he played in 61 percent of the team’s snaps, totaling 33 plays in all.

He had 65 carries for 260 yards and a touchdown last year.

It’s not as if Harris and Gibson aren’t capable of solidifying the running back room. The potential for Harris is certainly there, and Gibson has shown he can be a dependable contributor over multiple years. This is more about the health of Stevenson. An injury to him would be a massive blow to the room.

A back like Kareem Hunt could be a potential option, for example. He is currently a free agent and has ties with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt from their time in Cleveland together. Hunt was able to serve as a strong No. 2 option behind Nick Chubb during that time. Just last year, he recorded 411 yards and nine touchdowns on 135 carries.

It’s no secret that Van Pelt wants to run the football. It was his calling card during his run in Cleveland. Hunt is used to being a rotational piece, and he could be a viable option for a Patriots offense trying to find its footing.

Adding another veteran running back to the room would be a good move for the team. The Patriots have talent at the position, but health and experience are two of their biggest question marks in 2024.

Boosting that position with some additional help could mitigate risks if catastrophe strikes.

Patriots welcomed familiar face back to 53-man roster

Rhamondre Stevenson’s injury created an opportunity for the Patriots’ 2022 sixth-round draft pick.

The New England Patriots signed running back Kevin Harris to the 53-man roster from the practice squad and signed defensive back William Cooper to the practice squad, per a release from the team.

Harris is coming back to the Patriots after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. He played in five games, starting one of them last season. He tallied 18 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. He was released by the Patriots at the end of training camp.

Cooper was assigned to the Patriots practice squad on September 13 and was released on September 26. He has bounced around the league a bit. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as a rookie free agent in May.

The addition of Harris is notable considering it gives the Patriots running back depth. Ezekiel Elliott has been carrying the load for the Patriots at the position over the past couple games. Harris has already proven his worth, as he rushed the ball four times for 25 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Cooper will allow the Patriots to have some flexibility at the defensive back position. J.C. Jackson did not play in Sunday’s game due to a personal matter, and he has since been placed on the reserve/non-football illness list.

Cooper will give the Patriots another option to help fill the void at the defensive back position.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

18 recently cut players the Colts should consider adding

The Colts will have plenty of options to choose from on the waiver wire.

The Indianapolis Colts officially set the initial 53-man roster before Tuesday’s deadline, but more changes to the group are expected to come.

With over 1,000 players being waived and released in one fell swoop Tuesday afternoon, the Colts will have a strong chance to claim as many players as they want from the waiver wire.

They hold the No. 4 spot in the order and there’s no limit to how many claims they make as long as they can make the corresponding moves to satisfy the 53-player limit.

General manager Chris Ballard is typically a pretty active member of the waiver wire the day following roster cuts.

Here are a few names the Colts should consider adding either through free agency or through the waiver wire:

Stock up, stock down for Patriots heading into preseason Week 2

Who is trending up and who is trending down for the Patriots in Week 2 of the preseason?

With the New England Patriots beginning joint practices on Wednesday, we got to see some of the starters in live reps against opposing competition. For the most part, training camp battles only go so far, as the Patriots typically want to keep everyone healthy.

Against real opponents, the Patriots got a sneak peek at their new-look offense with Bill O’Brien, along with the new offensive line combinations under Adrian Klemm.

The Patriots ended their two joint practices with the Packers on a high note on Thursday. In this piece, we’re going to take a look at three players trending up and three players trending down in preseason Week 2 for New England.

36 days till Patriots season opener: Every player to wear No. 36 for New England

Here’s a list of every Patriots player to wear the No. 36 jersey number

The New England Patriots are officially 36 days away from their regular season opener. So we’re continuing our countdown series by listing every Patriots player that has ever worn the No. 36 jersey.

Running back Kevin Harris currently wears the number, which initially belonged to core Patriots special-teamer Brandon King. Harris, a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has seen more work behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson at training camp.

Whether that carries over into the regular season or not remains to be seen.

But Lawyer Milloy is the name people typically think about when it comes to the No. 36 in New England. Milloy was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Patriots and helped them upset the St. Louis Rams at Super Bowl XXXVI.

Here’s every player throughout franchise history that has worn the No. 36 (via Pro Football Reference):

5 takeaways from Day 5 of Patriots training camp practice

Here’s how Day 5 of training camp looked for the Patriots

There was a different feeling in the air on Monday with the pads coming on for the first time at New England Patriots’ training camp.

It felt like real football with the clanging and banging of shoulder pads and helmets. The offense was looking to build on some of the success they started to show on Sunday, while the defense wanted to continue making life difficult for quarterback Mac Jones and company.

The Patriots had six players in total missing in practice with Ty Montgomery, Cody Davis, Michael Onwenu, Calvin Anderson, Jake Andrews and Terez Hall being out. Matthew Judon, Trent Brown and Rhamondre Stevenson were also limited.

Here are five takeaways from Day 5 of training camp;

Rhamondre Stevenson confident in Patriots’ current RB room

While open to the possibility of a new teammate, Rhamondre Stevenson still has faith in the Patriots’ current running backs.

Rhamonde Stevenson feels positive about the New England Patriots’ running back room as currently constructed.

Granted, Ty Montgomery has been dealing with an injury, but the unit also has Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris. Former leading-rusher Damien Harris joined the Buffalo Bills after losing the starting job to Stevenson last season, and the Patriots cut James Robinson in June.

“I’m totally confident in our room right now,” Stevenson told media members, via NESN’s Dakota Randall. “But if we get another one, you know, I’m with that too. I’m just playing the game right now. I’m not really worried about who we sign, contracts — nothing like that. Just the game of football.”

Those comments followed the Dalvin Cook rumors of a possible visit with the Patriots. Cook is reportedly closing in on a deal with the New York Jets. Meanwhile, the Patriots just had former two-time NFL leading-rusher Ezekiel Elliott in for a visit.

Cook would undoubtedly be a strong addition for New England, if an opportunity presented itself. The current depth as of now remains largely untested.

Strong played in five games last season, with his best performance coming against the Arizona Cardinals on December 12. He recorded five carries for 70 yards and a touchdown. Montgomery’s impact as it relates to the team is largely still in question as well. And like Strong, Kevin Harris is lacking in experience to step into a larger role.

The Patriots will either have to make a move at some point or sit back and simply trust what they already have on the roster.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Rhamondre Stevenson highly underrated in Patriots Madden 24 RB ratings

Madden definitely got this one wrong with Rhamondre Stevenson

Player ratings for EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 24” have been trickling out, and New England Patriots fans are already upset with the overall rating given to running back Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Patriots’ lead back was given an 80 rating, despite rushing for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also hauled in 69 receptions for 421 yards and one touchdown.

Not only did Stevenson not rank in the top-20 of rated NFL running backs, but he almost fell to 30th in the league as officially the 28th-ranked running back in the entire game.

Ouch.

To make matters worse, the game even has rookie Bijan Robinson rated ahead of him, even though the former Texas standout has yet to take his first official NFL snap. Make it make sense, somebody?

Stevenson will have a chance to show the game creators just how wrong they are when suiting up for his third season as the official starter for the Patriots.

James Robinson is also listed as a Patriot, but he was waived by the team back in June. So keep that in mind when perusing these official running back ratings for New England.

Reading the room: Evaluating running backs on Patriots’ roster

Not having Damien Harris on the roster opens the door for a new star to emerge at the Patriots’ running back position.

After the departure of Damien Harris, the New England Patriots have a wide open running backs room behind budding star Rhamondre Stevenson.

Some teams like similar scheme fit running backs, and some like having situational backs who have different roles. Meanwhile, other teams like clones of their top guy so the game plan stays the same.

It’ll be hard to predict just exactly what the Patriots do, but one thing is for sure: They like to have variety and flexibility. This is why we started this series. It was so we could look at the position group with a wider lens, rather than just wanting four running backs on the roster.

Today, we’re diving into what roles the running backs play and why the Patriots philosophically have them on the roster in 2023.