Patriots add another running back to fold for 2023

The New England Patriots decided to make Wednesday a skill position day for the organization, as the team followed up on the signing of JuJu Smith-Schuster with the signing of running back James Robinson to a two-year deal.

The deal can be worth up to $8 million in maximum value, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

• The 24-year-old Robinson’s jump to the Patriots comes after a 2022 season that was split between the Jaguars and Jets, and with 425 rushing yards and three scores on 110 carries over 11 games (seven with Jacksonville and four with the Jets). Robinson also added 11 catches for 51 yards and two touchdowns over that 11-game year.

• 🙏🏾Lets get it! Time to go to work!!#Patriots 😤

  — James Robinson (@Robinson_jamess) March 16, 2023

• The 5-foot-9, 219-pound Robinson never quite seemed to find his footing within the Jets’ offense for whatever reason, and by all means became an afterthought by the end of the season, with just four carries in his final appearance with the Jets back on Dec. 4. That light workload was after Robinson voiced his frustrations with a recent inactive designation, too, which certainly couldn’t have helped matters at all.

  Prior to that, Robinson was a solid contributor for the Jags, with a career-high 1,070 yards as a rookie in 2020, and a career-high eight rushing touchdowns for Jacksonville in 2021.

  Overall, the undrafted Robinson, who played his college ball at Illinois State, has compiled 2,262 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per attempt, and added 617 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 91 catches over a 39-game NFL career.

• 

  Nov 6, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back James Robinson (23) carries the ball as Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) pursues at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)

• In New England, Robinson seems set to play 1B to Rhamondre Stevenson’s 1A status after a breakout year, or at the very least provide some extra insurance in New England’s backfield.

  Robinson also seems like the replacement for Damien Harris. The 26-year-old Harris, who remains unsigned as of Wednesday night, totaled 462 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games with the Patriots last season.

  In addition to Robinson, the Patriots also have the versatile Ty Montgomery and 2022 fourth-round draft pick Pierre Strong Jr. on their depth chart at the running back position.