NFL Tickets
Ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for NFL teams to be down to 75 players, the Buffalo Bills surprisingly released running back Fred Jackson on Monday. Salary and advanced age (34) stand out as the top reasons for the Bills to let Jackson go, but with a lack of good options behind a currently banged up LeSean McCoy the move really made little sense.
Jackson immediately became the best running back available, and he reportedly visited the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. Jackson would reunite with former Bills’ teammate Marshawn Lynch in Seattle, but Seahawks’ head coach Pete Carroll was quick to downplay the team’s interest.
Despite what looks like a clogged running back depth chart, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss has examined the possibility that the New England Patriots could consider signing Jackson. The veteran back is a favorite of Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick, with plenty of familiarity as a long-time division foe to solidify the team’s potential interest. With surprisingly few reported suitors right now, New England should swoop in and sign Jackson as they configure their roster heading into the regular season.
LeGarrette Blount is New England’s No. 1 running back at this point, but he is suspended for Week 1 and his level of reliability and consistency after that has to be a question mark. Behind him as a “big back” is 2014 one-week wonder Jonas Gray, but his week-to-week role seems to be dependent on Belichick’s mood as well as the specific game plan.
With 322 career receptions, including a career-high 66 catches in 2014, a passing down role would seem to suit Jackson well. The Patriots have had James White, Dion Lewis, Travaris Cadet and Brandon Bolden competing for that job throughout the preseason, but a clear, consistent front runner has not really emerged and Jackson would be an upgrade.
Jackson is not an obvious fit for New England, all things considered. Reiss did suggest that some 53-man roster wiggle room may have been created by fullback James Devlin’s recent broken leg, and even if it means parting with a healthy incumbent running back the Patriots should do whatever it takes to sign Jackson as soon as they can.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
Share 
