The New England Patriots defeated the New Orleans Saints on Sunday despite Drake Maye being their leading rusher with 28 yards. The run game has been a problem for the Patriots despite the 4-2 record through 6 games.
Rahmondre Stevenson scored two touchdowns last week against Buffalo but has dealt with fumble issues over the past two seasons. Stevenson has three fumbles so far this season and has not rushed for more than 54 yards in a game all year.
Rookie TreVeyon Henderson has been solid but has not had many chances this season. His season high carries are 7 while he has 18 catches out of the backfield this year.
Antonio Gibson suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Patriots week 5 win over the Bills. Despite being the third string running back, Gibson was an explosive player for New England, returning a kickoff for a touchdown earlier in the season against Miami.
Here are four moves that the Pats could make to gain depth in their backfield.
Trade for Tank Bigsby
Bigsby was already traded from Jacksonville to Philadelphia at the start of the season. Bigsby has not carried the ball once as an Eagle and has primarily been used as a kick returner for Philly. The 23-year-old has fresh legs and would provide a spark to the Gibson-less backfield in New England. Last season with the Jaguars, Bigsby rushed for 766 yards and 7 touchdowns. He has racked up 500 returning yards in his three NFL seasons, him taking Gibson’s spot as a running back and a returner would be crucial for Head Coach Mike Vrabel’s team.
Sign Zach Moss
The 28-year-old Moss remains team less six weeks into the NFL season. He played in 8 games with the Bengals last season, running for 242 yards and 2 touchdowns before suffering injuries and losing playing time to Chase Brown. Moss had his best season in 2023 as an Indianapolis Colt, filling in for Jonathan Taylor who only played in 10 games that season. The former third round pick ran for 794 yards and 5 touchdowns while also racking up 192 receiving yards. Henderson and Stevenson have not provided much receiving help either aside from the game against Miami. Moss can make an impact on both the passing and running games in New England.
Reunion with Cordarrelle Patterson
Like Moss, Patterson is a jack of all trades on offense while providing a massive spark on special teams. The former Patriot was released by the Steelers in July and has not been on a roster since. Patterson spent 2018 in New England where he had 1 rushing, 1 returning and 3 receiving touchdowns during the regular season while racking up 42 all-purpose yards in the Patriots low scoring Super Bowl 53 victory. Patterson is now 34 years old and has dealt with his fair share of injuries, however, just three years ago he ran for almost 700 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. He and Maye would be a great duo and his veteran presence would help Vrabel’s culture continue to grow.
Trade for Tony Pollard
Pollard is in the second year of a three-year deal with the struggling Tennessee Titans and could be a crucial asset for the Patriots. The former Dallas Cowboy has rushed for over 1,000 yards in three straight seasons and is on pace to be close to the 1K threshold this season. The 1-5 Titans are still in the rebuilding process during year one of Cam Ward being under center, so there is no reason to keep Pollard around. The Pats are not afraid to trade mid-late round picks for players like Pollard, so this move is very possible. New England and Tennessee play each other this upcoming weekend, a possible audition for Pollard.
With the easiest remaining strength of schedule, according to Tankathon, the Patriots are poised for a postseason run. One of these four running backs would complete this team as a possible Super Bowl contender in just year two of Maye as quarterback.