Video: Reiss on RBs

In this day and age you can't have enough backs. We saw both Maroney and Morris battle injuries last year, so Jordan is a perfect fit for this team.

Mike, you didn't mention Kyle Eckel who was a special teams player last year from the RB position. Does Jordan take his spot? Do you think Eckel's value as a special teams player is diminished with some of the other additions in the offseason?

Looking to history, the team normally keeps three specialists on the 53-man roster (Gosktowski, Paxon, and Hanson).

The remainder is usually 26 defense and 24 offense. So what's the 24 on offense?

QB (3): Brady, Cassel/Gutierrez, and O'Connell

WR (5): Moss, Gaffney, Welker, Jackson, and Washington

RB (5): Maroney, Morris, Jordan, Faulk, and Evans

TE (2): Watson and Thomas.

OL (9): Light, Kazcur, O'Callahan, Britt, Mankins, Neal, Hochstein, Yates, Koppen

What about the 26 on defense?

D-line (7): Seymour, Green, Warren, Wilfork, Thomas, L. Smith, Wright

OLB (4): Vrabel, Thomas, Woods, Crable

ILB (4): Hobson, Mayo, Bruschi, Izzo

S (5): Harrison, Sanders, Merriweather, Williams, Ventrone/etc.

CB (6): Bryant, Hobbs, Richardson, Webster, Wheatley, Wilhite

Someone made the comment earlier that each back brings something very different to the table. Last year we saw the patriots air the ball out with every opportunity. Defenses may have geared up to stop that type of game in the off-season...perhaps BB and SP have loaded up on back to play a much different style this year. a more run oriented, disciplined style of play, build off the run to go play action deep to moss or intermediate to welker or the te's.

Does anyone think that if Jordan works out well he could be signed long-term as a future replacement for Kevin Faulk?

Sooner or later Faulk will retire, be injured, or be too old (plus he's prone to fumble in the past) . Jordan is the perfect heir apparent coming out of the backfield on 3rd down. Awesome pickup. doc

if the offensive line is good this year, look out

Belichick personally called and recruited Pollard. Thomas has been injury prone and Watson hasn't been immune, either. Given this, I can't immagine not going with three tight ends. Jordan and Evans could be battling for the fourth RB position. I also wouldn't be surprized if they don't go for youth at linebacker and cut Izzo.

I think it's a no brainer...keep Jordan, release Eckle

This team wont win 10 this year ! Doesnt getting old suck !

I disagree with "Smells Like..."

Heath Evans is kind of like an old H-back. He would be a hybrid TE and back. Call it 4.5 RBs and 2.5 TEs.

Besides, the depth at WR means that the team will almost never go out of a two-TE set.

Another thing we're forgetting is that there's the Belichick "shadow roster" of players not on the 53, but not picked up by other teams and available for mid-season signings. Pollard would seem to apply there in the event Watson or Thomas go down.

I think that in Lamont Jordan, we found our new Corey Dillion. What was missing last year was the big bruising type of running back. Lamont fills in that need splendidly.

Hi Mike
We had no running game late in the year (ex. SBowl). Those massive defensive russing the QB plays against Brady might have been minimized had they been able to have a big back to offset the only option.....Pass and Pass quickly!!!!

How is Lamont Jordan as a blocking back? Similar to the CB situation in 2005 that was plugged with Troy Brown and a more aggressive front seven, Belichick tends to try and think around weak spots rather than power through them with big contract signings. This year, it looks like the O-Line and TE will be a bit thin until injuries get sorted out.

I see the backs being used extensively as extra blockers and I see a lot of screen or flat passes to them keep LB's and safeties off balance. Certainly, Faulk and Evans are top blocking RB's and that will almost certainly mean they're on the team. Morris and Jordan are bruisers who can stuff big OLBs on the edges. Even Maroney got a lot better at this last year, which helped a lot when he ran the ball in the playoffs because his presence on the field was not a red flag for D's to load up in front.