James Robinson

The New England Patriots added a significant boost to the offensive backfield in a surprising move to sign running back James Robinson on Wednesday night.

The New England Patriots made some investments in their offense on Wednesday. They signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year contract, ...

It is more likely that that number has been inflated a bit via the inclusion of incentives considered not likely to be earned. A three-year starter, he finished his career with the Redbirds ranked second in school history in rushing yards (4,444), rushing touchdowns (44), total touchdowns (46), and all-purpose yards (5,218). All but one of his runbacks came as a freshman in 2016, however. Robinson’s primary value lies as a backfield option: 1,339 of his 1,441 career snaps between the Jaguars and Jets (92.9%) have come at a traditional running back alignment. While not the most positionally-flexible back, he might have the upside to serve as a change-of-pace option reminiscent of former Patriot Rex Burkhead — a player whose primary value lies as a between-the-tackles runner and potential short-yardage back, but who also can contribute a bit in the passing game. A physical workhorse-type running back, he was a first-team all-conference selection in the MVFC in each of his three seasons as a starter, and named consensus first-team All-American as a senior.

Robinson was a record-setting rookie with the Jaguars after going undrafted, but has struggled with injuries.

The 2019 third-round pick showcased flashes throughout his four seasons in New England, especially during a 2021 campaign where he recorded 1,061 yards from scrimmage. Stevenson emerged as a focal point of New England’s offense in 2022, gaining 1,461 total scrimmage yards over 17 games. However, Robinson failed to gain much traction in his return from such a significant injury. Through 14 games, Robinson added another 989 scrimmage yards and scored eight more touchdowns for Jacksonville. He might have some injury concerns, but [Robinson](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/15/sports/patriots-agree-with-rb-james-robinson-two-year-8-million-deal-reports-say/?p1=Article_Inline_Text_Link) could be a potent weapon in New England, especially if paired with Rhamondre Stevenson. Advertisement Along with Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong Jr., and Kevin Harris, the Patriots are going to need Robinson and the rest of their running-back depth to keep Stevenson fresh over the course of another grueling 17-game slate in 2023. The Patriots are not just hoping for a resurgent Robinson in 2023. He gained 340 yards on the ground and caught nine passes with the Jaguars before eventually getting traded to the Jets in October. Robinson was active for the Jags’ Week 1 matchup against the Commanders and ended up playing seven games with Jacksonville in 2022. Robinson continued to shred defenses both on the ground and through the air in 2021. His 1,414 total scrimmage yards eventually set a new NFL record for an undrafted rookie, with Robinson ranked 100th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021 list.

Veteran running back James Robinson had strong reactions after reportedly signing a free agent deal with the New England Patriots.

If he can recapture his pre-injury form, Robinson could see a major role in New England, both as Stevenson’s backup and as a top passing-down back. He’ll join New England following a forgettable 2022 campaign that saw him split time with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars while racking up just 425 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. He looked like the future of the Jaguars backfield.

The New England Patriots signed running back James Robinson to a two-year deal on Wednesday. So where does that leave Damien Harris?

That kind of versatility could change the Patriots’ offensive backfield for the better. Sure, we saw that element from Harris when he was playing at Alabama under Nick Saban, but it really hasn’t taken off at the next level. It’s a signing that puts the team in position to move on from Damien Harris if they wanted.