What the Patriots Are Saying About Replacing Ty Montgomery in the Passing Game
Harris explained to the media on Thursday that not much will change for him and fellow running back Rhamondre Stevenson with Montgomery out of the lineup.
โWe just have to go out there and do our jobs. Each player, each individual, as an offense, as a team. Collectively, we just have to go out there and do our jobs. Itโs unfortunate what happened to Ty, but everybodyโs got a job to do,โ Harris said.
Harris was then asked if his role would expand with Montgomery out of the lineup, and he said with a smile, โweโll see on Sunday.โ
Although the Patriots gave Harris more work in the passing game last week, there is growing optimism throughout the organization that Stevenson could be an impact pass-catcher.
Over the summer, Stevenson said that he worked hard on his skills in the passing game in the offseason so he could increase his usage by running routes out of the backfield.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has publicly praised the young running back for his development in the passing game in his second season, and Stevensonโs teammates notice his ability to make plays as a receiver in practice.
โRhamondreโs done a really good job improving his pass game skills, starting with blitz pickup and protection. Heโs got good hands, catching the ballโs never been an issue. Itโs setting up defenders, recognizing coverages, when to sit down, when to break, depending on what the rest of the pattern is, how to maximize the distribution of the pattern,โ Belichick said.
Adding to the momentum building for Stevensonโs role in the passing game, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers also offered a glowing review of the 2021 fourth-round pick.
โWhen he first got here, just in practice, I saw him catch a seam out of the backfield. Thatโs like a James White kind of play. But heโll go out there and give you a dead leg, catch a seam, take one to the crib. Heโs a really talented player,โ said Meyers.
Ultimately, the coaching staffโs decision on who will replace Montgomery in the passing game will likely come down to who they trust the most in pass protection. Along with the optionality of the running back route tree Belichick described, younger players have taken their time getting on the field on passing downs because itโs challenging to grasp all the nuances of blitz pickup.
Rookie running back Pierre Strong, for example, was drafted in the fourth round last April, and many think Strong will eventually develop into a pass-catching back for New England. Similarly, practice squad running back J.J. Taylor tried to find a role as a receiving back over the last few seasons.
Strong was a healthy inactive for the season-opener, while Taylor remained on the practice squad. With Montgomery sidelined, either Strong or Taylor will likely be active on Sunday, and itโs worth noting that the rookie is dealing with a shoulder injury and was limited in the first two days of practice this week.
Replacing Montgomery has many layers, with a heavy workload already on Harrisโs shoulder, but the trust factor for younger running backs in the passing game. From this perspective, Stevenson is the most dynamic option as a real threat out of the backfield as weโve seen in his limited opportunities in the past.
Weโll see in Pittsburgh on Sunday if the second-year running back is ready to take on a complex role.