The New England Patriots may have added their feature running back, Lamar Miller, for 2020 as a late addition. They signed him to a deal on Monday pending a physical. It’s a bad sign for the running backs on the roster that New England felt needed help.
Running back Sony Michel will start training camp on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing a foot surgery surgery this offseason. That’s the most obvious reason for this move: New England was down their top back and wanted to explore depth options. But Miller is more than just a depth option: he’s got starter potential, even at 29 years old. He will push Michel for the starting job on early downs.
Michel skidded in 2019, and while Bill Belichick pointed to poor blocking as the reason while the running back’s yards per carry fell from 4.5 in 2018 to 3.7 last year, the running back didn’t make many defenders miss and struggled to break tackles. The elusiveness he flashed in college has looked absent in Michel’s game in the pros, and so he’s left to run with power, which isn’t his natural style at 216 pounds. It doesn’t help that he has made practically zero contributions in the passing game as a receiver. After his lackluster season, which came during a season when Patriots offense had moments of paralysis, his job is open for the taking. Miller’s signing seems to be an indicator of that.
James White will continue to own the role as the team’s third-down back. Rex Burkhead will make his four-down contributions, when healthy. And then that brings us to Damien Harris. Why isn’t he viewed as a suitable replacement for Michel? After all, the Patriots drafted Harris in the third round out of Alabama because the felt he was the best player on the board at the time, according to Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio. Yet Harris didn’t contribute in 2019 behind Michel. With Michel hurting, the Patriots also felt it necessary to bring in competition for Harris.
There’s no saying if Miller can be the running back he once was. His ACL injury in TK seemed to kill some of his explosiveness. But if he can serve as a competent back as a runner and pass-catcher in 2020, then both Michel and Harris may be in trouble.
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