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Patriots 2016 Free Agency Yes/No: James Develin

By Connor Fulton

Dec 7, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; New England Patriots fullback James Develin (46) catches a pass before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; New England Patriots fullback James Develin (46) catches a pass before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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James Develin Patriots
Dec 7, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; New England Patriots fullback James Develin (46) catches a pass before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

As the next installment in our Yes/No series detailing the New England Patriots’ free agency, this morning we are deciding whether or not the Patriots should re-sign free agent fullback James Develin.

The answer: YES

Regardless of whether or not the Patriots bring back LeGarrette Blount this offseason (which they shouldn’t), the Pats need to re-sign Develin. He is one of the few remaining of his species; traditional fullbacks are few and far between these days in the NFL.

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One of the tragedies of the Patriots’ 2015 preseason was the loss of Develin for the year. Develin fractured his right tibia against the Carolina Panthers in August. The Patriots had originally hoped he would only be out for a few months, but Develin ended up being placed on injured reserve in early September.

As a result, the Patriots’ running game in 2015 was a shadow of its 2014 form. The presence of Develin as a snowplow for the ball carrier was sorely missed this past season.

From the James Develin vault:

Patriots kick-off in 46 days: Profiling No. 46 James Develin

At 6-foot-3, 251 pounds Develin is hard to miss on the field. With that neck guard giving off a hunchback look, the Brown product looks like an old-fashioned football players. Simply put, he’s a hard-working player who you want on your roster.

The Patriots should waste no time in re-signing Develin this offseason.

Here are recent installments in the Yes/No free agency series in case you missed them:

Patriots 2016 Free Agency Yes/No: DT Sealver Siliga

Patriots 2016 Free Agency Yes/No: LB Dane Fletcher

Patriots 2016 Free Agency Yes/No: CB Justin Coleman

Next: 5 Under-the-radar free agents Pats should consider

Be sure to check back on Musket Fire tomorrow morning as we ponder the future of free agent wide receiver Brandon Gibson.

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