The New England Patriots have had an encouraging start to training camp this year, but there's no doubt that they are currently the worst team in the AFC East. The Pats have been looking for ways to add to their roster throughout the start of camp, and after whiffing on DeAndre Hopkins, they have turned their attention to the running back market.
There are a plethora of capable running backs still on the free agent market, thanks in large part to the depressed market at the position that has taken the offseason by storm. New England has not been shy in showing their interest in bringing one of these players on board, as they have hosted Leonard Fournette and Ezekiel Elliott on visits, and have reportedly been one of the top suitors for Dalvin Cook.
The running back market took another big turn on Saturday night when Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor requested a trade after not getting the contract extension he was looking for. And in the blink of an eye, the Patriots had their solution to their running back quandary. Cook, Elliott, and Fournette should be cast to the side; New England should pivot their course and pursue a trade for Taylor instead.
Why the Patriots should trade for Jonathan Taylor
No one is saying that Cook, Elliott, or Fournette are bad running backs per se, but it's clear that Taylor is miles ahead of the three of them when he's healthy and playing in an offense that can actually move the ball up and down the field. Taylor was the best running back in the NFL in 2021 before struggling with injuries and getting swallowed up in the Colts lost 2022 campaign.
And yet, despite his rough season, Taylor still managed to outproduce each of these running backs on a per carry basis last year. Taylor's 4.5 yards per carry was a stark drop from his 2021 figure of 5.5, but it was still better than Cook (4.4), Elliott (3.8), and Fournette (3.5), the latter two by a significant margin.
Even if Taylor can't ever reach the heights of his 2021 campaign again, he's still just 24 years old, and is going to be a viable option for years to come. The same cannot be said about the other three candidates New England is looking at, as each of these guys are already 28, or in Cook's case, going to be turning 28 in just a few days.
The lifespan on running backs is significantly shorter than at other positions (which is part of the reason teams don't want to pay them), but handing a running back one big extension after their rookie deal isn't necessarily bad business, which is what Taylor is looking for. Even on a down year, Taylor still was a wildly productive running back, and he would be a welcome addition in New England.
The Patriots have Rhamondre Stevenson set to lead their backfield this season, but he's a strong dual-threat running back in a way that Taylor is not. Chances are with all the chatter about running backs not getting paid what they want, we will see a bit of a morphing between running backs and wide receivers moving forward. Having playmakers on offense will be key, regardless of their position.
It would be ideal if New England could bring in a top-tier wide receiver rather than a top-tier running back, but they need somebody else on their offense who can break games open right now. Taylor is certainly that guy, and while you can make a case that Cook is just as good of an option, the age gap between the two fully cements Taylor's case here.
Splitting snaps between Taylor and Stevenson could be a bit of a tough sell, but utilizing both on the field at the same time would help the offense exponentially. The same issue would pop up with Cook, though, so it's not as if this is something that the team seems opposed to. Elliott and Fournette make more sense as secondary running backs, but they both logged at least 189 carries last season.
If the Patriots want to drastically improve their offense, pulling off a trade for Taylor would be their best way to do that. He's young, his trade value has decreased significantly thanks to Indianapolis having no leverage in this situation, and New England has the cap space to give him an extension. It may take a bit of prying given the tense history and relationship between the Patriots and Colts franchises, but it's clear that if New England wants to actually improve their team, trading for Taylor makes a lot more sense than signing Cook, Elliott, or Fournette.
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