The New England Patriots’ running back situation just got a bit more complicated following the surprise release of former 1,000-yard rusher James Robinson.
New England signed Robinson to a two-year, $4 million contract back in March shortly before losing Damien Harris to the division-rival Buffalo Bills in free agency.
At least initially, the idea was that Robinson would back up 2022 leading rusher Rhamondre Stevenson. That’s now not going to be the case.
The surprise release also creates a major void behind Stevenson on New England’s depth chart. Pierre Strong (fourth round) and Kevin Harris (sixth round) were both selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Neither did much of substance as rookies. As of right now, they are going to be relied on as the top dogs behind Stevenson.
The release of Robinson — a 1,000-yard rusher with the Jaguars back in 2020 — could also lead to New England making a bold move for a multi-time Pro Bowler by the name of Dalvin Cook.
Related: Ideal Dalvin Cook landing spots in NFL free agency
Dalvin Cook could now be on the New England Patriots radar
Dating back to his days as the Houston Texans’ head coach, first-year Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has relied on a committee approach in the backfield.
That included Arian Foster and Alfred Blue (2014) as well as Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson (2019). Heck, O’Brien’s time as the Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator under Nick Saban was spent deploying a committee approach.
Despite a breakout sophomore season with New England (1,040 yards), Stevenson has not proven he can be a three-down back. The former Oklahoma star is averaging less than 12 rush attempts per game throughout his first two seasons.
Enter into the equation recently released former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. The four-time Pro Bowler is now on the NFL free agent market and could actually be a perfect fit for New England.
Cook, 27, put up nearly 1,500 total yards and 10 touchdowns for Minnesota last season. He’s also averaging nearly 19 rush attempts per game over the past four seasons. As consistent as they come, Cook would be an ideal fit with Stevenson in New England’s backfield.
It also must be noted that Cook, like pretty much every running back in today’s NFL, has not been met with a great market. He could potentially be had for cheap, giving young quarterback Mac Jones another weapon as the former first-round pick looks to rebound after a down sophomore campaign.
Remember, the New England Patriots are one of two teams linked to Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. It’s a clear indication that they are looking to get Jones more help. Why stop there? Cook just makes too much sense at this point.