Flush With Backs

The Patriots have the luxury of having five running backs on their roster that all have the ability to contribute something to an NFL team.  Behind starter Laurence Maroney there lies LaMont Jordan, Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris and Heath Evans.  Coach Bill Belichik has stated that the team could go into the regular season with all five backs on the roster if he feels that each guy deserves to make the team.

Jordan is a solid all-around back and is probably the leading candidate for the backup role.  He’s been a starter in the league and doesn’t have a ton of mileage on his tires.  Faulk has been a fixture on the Pats’ roster since 1999 and has produced year in and year out.  He’s more of a third-down back who catches the ball really well out of the backfield.  He caught 47 passes last season to just 62 carries.  He’s eclipsed the 40 reception mark in three separate seasons while never being a starter.  Morris is a reliable backup who can make some spot starts in the event of injuries to the starter, as he did for Ronnie Brown in Miami.  He’s not going to blow anyone away, but he’s worthy of a roster spot.  Evans is a fullback and a powerful runner.  He can be useful in short yardage and goal line situations as he packs more of a punch than any of the other four guys.  All five of these guys are good enough to earn a roster spot, but even if Belichik is forced to cut one, this is a good kind of problem to have.

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