The New England Patriots are expected to carry just three running backs this season on the 53-man roster.
New England has a solid running back duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, who are locked into the top two spots. However, ahead of OTAs, one of the big questions is who will be the third running back, which could be the only other running back the Patriots carry on the roster.
Ahead of OTAs and training camp, Patriots insider Chad Graff of The Athletic believes seventh-round draft pick Jam Miller is the front-runner to win the spot.
“Seventh-round picks are far from guaranteed to make the roster,” Graff wrote in an article published on Thursday. “So while Miller may be the front-runner for the third (and likely final) running back spot, it’s not a given. Terrell Jennings was solid last season and has familiarity with this coaching staff.
“Lan Larison was an intriguing undrafted option a year ago before he suffered a season-ending broken foot during the preseason. One of those three will likely earn the last spot on the Patriots roster.”
Miller played four years at Alabama, and last season, he rushed for 504 yards on 130 carries, while the year prior, he had 668 yards on 145 carries. In his four-year career, he rushed for 1,596 yards on 349 carries and 13 touchdowns. He also had over 100 yards receiving in the past two years, showing he can make an impact in the passing game.
However, as Graff noted, seventh-round picks are far from a guarantee to make the roster, so Miller will still need to impress in camp to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
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