Who will the Patriots call up after Ty Montgomery heads to IR?

After scoring the only points for the Patriots in week one, Ty Montgomery was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, meaning he will miss at least four games before returning.

The running back had been dealing with a knee injury suffered in the preseason finale against the Raiders. The injury was originally believed to be significant, as he was carted off the field and did not return to the game. But he would be available to play last Sunday and made the only scoring play for the Patriots; stop, drop, and rolling into the endzone for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Throughout the summer, it became clear that Montgomery would be the team’s top option in the passing game of all the running backs. With James White and Brandon Bolden departing this offseason, their absences created a void in what the Patriots love to use in their offense.

It had been said that Rhamondre Stevenson had worked on his passing game during the offseason and many thought he would fill the White role this season. But as Montgomery became more acclimated with the Patriots’ offense, he became the clear front-runner.

Now that Montgomery will be out for at least the next month, there are a few candidates that could step up in his place.

Damien Harris

In their game against the Dolphins, the Patriots used Harris in his usual backfield role. He saw the most time on the field of all the running backs and ended the day with 9 carries for 48 yards.

Because he is not atop the list of pass catchers, he will likely not be used solely in place of Montgomery, but his carries may increase to make up for his absence. Harris was working on becoming more involved in the passing game this offseason as well, but it is yet to be seen through the first week of the season.

Rhamondre Stevenson and/or J.J. Taylor

When it comes to passing situations, both Stevenson and Taylor seem to make the most sense in immediately filling the gap left by Montgomery.

During preseason practices and games, Stevenson had been praised for his improvement in the passing game, particularly impressing Bill Belichick. He would become much more involved in the offense overall and see some of the top number of receptions throughout the summer. Staying the course will be much more important for Stevenson now, as he can take advantage of the opportunities he will be given with a veteran RB out.

Taylor is another possible option, as well. Although he is yet to solidify himself within the Patriots’ offense, he is entering his third season with the team and could easily be elevated from the practice squad if needed.

Pierre Strong Jr.

One of the key reasons for Strong’s selection in this year’s draft was because of his versatility throughout his college career. Because of his unbelievable speed, Strong is not only good on the ground but also caught 62 passes for 581 yards and three touchdowns in the 48 games he played at South Dakota State.

As a rookie, he has yet to take the field in an NFL game. But if he can prove his skills in practice over the next several weeks, the possibility of Belichick integrating him into the offense will dramatically increase. Like Taylor, this is the perfect opportunity for Strong to display his talents and finally get some playing time with the team.

Kendrick Bourne and/or Jonnu Smith

Outside of the obvious running back choices, the Patriots could also go with two established receivers that have had their experience in the run game as well. Both Bourne and Smith have been used out of the backfield since joining the team and could see an increased role over the next four weeks.

During the 2021 season, Bourne totaled 12 carries for 125 yards, while Smith had 9 carries for 40 yards. Certainly not the most impressive of numbers, but their versatility provides Belichick another option to use and gives the flexibility of more creative play-calling, too.