Will Patriots’ James White Play This Season?
As James White continues to recover from his season-ending injury, the Patriots need to determine their plan of action if he cannot play in 2022.
It was a heartbreaking blow for the entire Patriots team when James White went down with what would end up being a season-ending injury in week three of last year.
Following the season, White hit free agency with much skepticism on whether or not he would return to the Patriots. Bill Belichick made that happen in March when he re-signed the running back to a two-year deal.
However, the contract is full of incentives and bonuses rather than guarantees for the upcoming season, making it a “prove it” contract for White. Belichick made it clear he remains confident in White and what he can bring to the Patriots’ offense. But suffering a hip subluxation is a serious injury that is difficult to return from.
The hope is that White can get healthy and return to his pre-injury play style. If the Patriots can get that out of him, their running back room is far more lethal than previously thought.
How has White looked since minicamp?
Although he was present for practices in the spring, White was not able to fully participate in the activities.
Heading into training camp this week, more questions than answers have surfaced regarding White’s status and what the future holds for him. Just a few weeks ago, he was seen with a noticeable limp while walking around the event, as reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. This led to even more speculation on how much White could partake in the upcoming preseason.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and the Patriots place their star running back on the physically unable to perform (P.U.P.) list, meaning White cannot practice just yet. The positive part of that is he can be removed from the list at any time, as there is no mandatory number of days needing to be on the list before returning.
But what does that mean going forward for both White and the Patriots?
New England’s running back room is packed with talent as it stands right now, but not all are guaranteed to make the team come September.
Damien Harris: The clear RB1 for the Patriots, but playing on the last year of his contract. Will Belichick re-sign him?
Rhamondre Stevenson: Coming into his second season in the NFL, he will likely take on a bigger role this year. Stevenson recently said one of his offseason goals was to “become more of a factor in the passing game.” This could become more important with questions surrounding White’s health.
J.J. Taylor: In his couple of years with New England, Taylor is yet to be implemented into the offense. He could be a cut candidate depending on how the rookies perform in camp.
Ty Montgomery: As a dual WR/RB, Montgomery’s flexibility makes him an intriguing piece on offense. But because both Gunner Olszewski and Brandon Bolden signed elsewhere in free agency, he could be used as a returner on special teams as well.
Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris: Two running backs drafted this past year with strong pass-catching abilities, making them candidates to take over if White is unable to play or if (for some reason) Belichick chooses to not re-sign Harris long-term.
The backfield is not a weak spot on the team, but they lack a reliable pass-catcher if White cannot play. It’s fair to assume this was on New England’s mind when they chose to double-dip in the draft taking two running backs that are more than capable to replace White in the future.
If White is unable to start the season, they will likely bring up Strong in his place. His performance throughout his college career as a dual-threat running back is exactly what the Patriots are looking for; totaling 62 receptions for 581 yards and three touchdowns in 48 games.
His workload may have increased had he also not been a wrecking ball type of runner as well. Strong’s speed and capabilities to plow through defenses is something the Patriots haven’t had on their team for quite some time.
No matter what happens with White this preseason, the Patriots are in good hands. Their running back room is one of the more deep and talented rosters in the NFL. And the best part is they’re a very young group with a lot of potential.
Of course, it would be best if White can fully recover and re-join the team; he is a Patriots legend, after all. But training camp will give us more insight into when and if that will happen.
Patriots’ training camp starts on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022.