The Patriots continue to add veterans on the offensive side of the ball. According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Patriots have reached an agreement with former Jets running back James Robinson. The contract is worth up to $8M, spanning over two seasons.
Robinson took to Twitter to share his excitement about joining the Patriots organization.
The 24-year-old was acquired by the Jets via a mid-season trade with the Jaguars. The Jets desperately needed running back depth after Breece Hall suffered a season-ending injury. Robinson partially filled the void by rushing for 85 yards in four games with one touchdown. However, New York chose not to tender the running back, and he became an unrestricted free agent.
Robinson entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie and joined the Jaguars in 2020, where he had an elite rookie season. The Illinois State product rushed for 1,070 yards with ten touchdowns during his first season in the NFL. Robinson had another chance in 2021 to replicate his success after Jaguars rookie running back Travis Etienne sustained a season-ending injury. Robinson tallied 989 yards from scrimmage, adding eight touchdowns to his career total. However, at the end of the season, Robinson injured his achilles, which abruptly ended his 2021 campaign.
Robinson joins a backfield led by Rhamondre Stevenson. The move indicates that free agent Damien Harris’s time in New England is all but over. Harris has been with the Patriots since 2019, and many have reported he will play in a different uniform in 2023. Pierre Strong Jr., Kevin Harris, and Ty Montgomery provide the Patriots depth at the running back position.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.