While New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has more than earned his reputation as one of the best to ever do it, his decision to enter 2022 without a traditional offensive coordinator is open to criticism. Matt Patricia, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, served as the de facto OC despite a history on the defensive side of the ball. The results weren’t pretty with New England finishing 26th in total offense, 20th in passing, and 24th in rushing.
Those struggles led to the hiring of University of Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to the same position with the Pats, a role he filled in 2011 before departing for head coaching opportunities with Penn State and then the Houston Texans. O’Brien has a lot of experience as a play caller — despite holding the title of OC for just one year, he called plays in New England for four seasons, beginning in 2008 — and he should bring a much-needed sense of cohesion to the offense.
While his experience working with quarterbacks should benefit quarterback Mac Jones’ development, there’ll still be a heavy dose of the running game as well. Gone is running back Damien Harris, who signed with the Buffalo Bills after leading the team in rushing in 2020 and 2021. The Pats also signed RB James Robinson as a free agent but released him less than three months later, ostensibly over durability concerns. So, let’s see who’s left and what we can expect in 2023.
Rhamondre Stevenson
Coming off a solid rookie season, Stevenson came into his own last year, pushing Harris into a secondary role in the process. Despite New England’s overall offensive struggles, the former Oklahoma Sooner ran for 1,040 yards on 210 carries for a healthy 5.0 yards per carry. He also made tremendous strides as a receiver out of the backfield, jumping from 14 catches to 69 a season ago. Stevenson’s final totals: 1,461 combined yards and a half-dozen touchdowns.
Of course, the asterisk with Stevenson was ball security down the stretch. Over the final six games, he fumbled four times. While he lost just one, it came inside the 10-yard line in the last minute of a critical Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He also had an ill-advised lateral on the final play against the Las Vegas Raiders that ultimately ended in a fumble that cost them the game. That Belichick stuck with him after speaks to his talent, and barring another addition he looks like the clear No. 1 back.
Pierre Strong
The Pats used a fourth-round pick on Strong last year, and though he was active for 15 games, he did most of his work on special teams. His usage ticked up a bit late, and he wound up logging 51 snaps, which was good enough for third at the position. Strong has good speed and the potential to evolve in the passing game. He posted an impressive 142 yards on 17 combined touches, though the sample size is far too small to draw any conclusions. He’s the current leader to be RB2.
Ty Montgomery
Originally drafted as a receiver by the Green Bay Packers, Montgomery converted to running back early in his career and has served in that capacity ever since. Injuries have been a constant companion for the veteran, including last season when he lasted just one game before an ankle injury put him on Injured Reserve; he’d eventually be shut down due to a separate shoulder issue. On paper, Montgomery looks like he could be this season’s version of James White, but to do that he’ll need to stay on the field. If healthy, he should see time in passing situations.
Kevin Harris
Selected two rounds after Strong, Harris didn’t make the 53-man roster out of camp but was added to the practice squad. While he earned a promotion in October, he saw minimal action outside of Weeks 6 (12 snaps) and 14 (29). Harris is a powerfully built back, like Stevenson, which may work against him if Belichick wants more diversity in the backfield. Look for Harris to battle Strong for RB2.
Fantasy football outlook
It certainly feels like Stevenson will be a true lead back with Montgomery sprinkled in on passing downs and either Strong or Harris used to give Stevenson a quick blow. That makes Stevenson a strong RB2 with top-10 potential. No one else is worth drafting on their own, but a clear No. 2 winner coming out of camp could serve as a late handcuff buy.
