The New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick have never had a problem trying to bring players with issues in their backgrounds and helping them get it together, with Randy Moss and Corey Dillon as examples and the team did it again earlier in the season, trading for Bucs running back LeGarrette Blount.
The team did it during the NFL draft, trading for LeGarrette Blount for running back Jeff Demps and a seventh-round draft choice (No. 229 overall) and now he joins a potent rushing attack with Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. Blunt rushed for 1,000 yards once with the Buccaneers, but last season he was relegated to a backup position with the breaking out Doug Martin and ended up with 41 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
That came after a season of 1,007 yards in a starting role with 201 carries, but Greg Schiano opted to trade him and to go with Martin instead. The Patriots already have Brandon Bolden as well as Leon Washington in the backfield and now Blount will get the chance to play against his former team. Blount had some character issues in college after being suspended for throwing a punch while playing for Oregon, but he has been better behaved as a pro.
The Patriots were effective in the running game in their first preseason game against the Eagles and Bount finished with 11 times for 101 yards and two scores and that could get him moving up the depth chart on the team. Ridley and Vereen are the main two backs, but if he continues to play well, Blount will get carries as well. Blount showed some skills while rushing for a 51-yard touchdown and he will get chances against his old team.
"I don't think there's any question about his skills,'' Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "They're pretty evident and they have been throughout the course of his career. Tampa has a great back. I certainly understand their situation. They had a Pro Bowl back last year as a rookie. I understand that but I've had a lot of respect for LeGarrette and what he's done through his career. He's had a good spring for us and a good training camp for us. I think he helps us.''
"Excited to have him here, think he's a good football player," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "He's had a lot of production and I think he got in a situation last year where they obviously went with [Doug] Martin, but I think he's a good football player and happy to add him to our team."