New England Patriots sign running back C.J. Marable

The New England Patriots need another offensive weapon. Sure, we can talk for days about how they didn't get the "number one wide receiver." But they could also use another running back.

There have been some big names that have come in for workouts in Foxborough. They had Leonard Fournette in for a workout. Ezekiel Elliot came and visited, where there was supposed mutual interest. There's the rumblings of Dalvin Cook interest. Surely, the Patriots signed one of these guys, right? Well.....no

Instead of all of those names, the Patriots decided to sign running back C.J. Marable. Who is that exactly? Well, you're about to find out.

Meet New England Patriots new running back C.J. Marable

C.J. Marable is a 26-year-old running back out of Decatur, Georgia. At 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Marable found himself playing for Presbyterian College in 2017 before transferring over to Coastal Carolina for his 2018-2020 seasons.

From there, Marable went undrafted and signed with the Chicago Bears in May 2021. Unfortunately, he was waived by the Bears in August of 2021. But that wouldn't end Marable's professional football career for good.

Marable was selected in the 28th round of the 2022 USFL Draft by the Birmingham Stallions. In his two years in the USFL, he won two championships. So it's nice to see a championship caliber running back come into the Patriots offense, even if it was a USFL championship.

How C.J. Marable's signing can help New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson

The big thing with this signing is that it will (hopefully) take some of the pressure off of Rhamondre Stevenson for the 2023 season.

Let's face it, Stevenson ran out of gas in 2022. And rightfully so! He was carrying an offense that couldn't do much. Teams basically had to gameplan to shut down the former Oklahoma running back. Maybe in a Bill O'Brien offense, that can change. But you can't fall back on that thought process with Stevenson.

Maybe C.J. Marable can help the Patriots running back depth and give them a weapon nobody saw coming. After all, the USFL is supposed to help get guys back into the NFL and give players a chance to play professional football anyway. What can it hurt to bring him in on a cheap contract?

The bottom line with the New England Patriots and C.J. Marable

Am I necessarily over-the-moon excited about bringing in C.J. Marable? No. I'm probably like many of you who are thinking, "Who is this guy, and why haven't they signed Zeke Elliot, Leonard Fournette, or Dalvin Cook?" To that, I say, just give it a chance first.

It could end up being a total bust, and I think that's very much on the table. But what is the harm in taking a flyer on a guy that could come in and surprise a lot of people?

So we'll see what the former Coastal Carolina running back can do for this Patriots team. Best case scenario, he earns a roster spot and is a complimentary backup to Rhamondre Stevenson. Worst case scenario, he's cut before week one of the NFL regular season.

But if he doesn't work out, please sign one of the other running backs. It's desperately needed.