Instead of giving you another, “The Red Sox Suck” column I decided to take my foot off the gas a little. Don’t worry, they’ll still suck when I get back to them. Instead let’s go Pats for a day.
Always in search of a running back with Predator dreads, the Pats signed Joseph Addai this week. Addai was one of a few veteran running backs the Pats had brought in over the past month or so along with guys like Ryan Grant, and Tim Hightower.
Addai is yet another LSU back. So I’m wondering if this will finally spell the merciless end of Kevin Faulk. Addai has the same skill set as far as being a back that can catch out of the backfield.
The funny thing with Addai is that the Pats could have had him already. Back in 2006 the Pats drafted Sandyvagititus Maroney with their first round pick. Oh DeAngelo Williams and Maurice Jones-Drew were also on the board when the Pats took Maroney. Addai is the second former first round pick the Pats have signed from that draft class as they’d already added former Cowboy and Buckeye Bobby Carpenter earlier this off-season.
But back to my headline.
Does Addai have anything in the tank?
He rushed for over 1,000 yards his first two seasons in the league. Anyone that had him on their fantasy team knew he was a stud. Then he trailed off. He missed half the 2010 season and then playing for the worst team in the league last season saw his productivity at its lowest levels of his career.
But here’s my thinking.
His team played from behind a ton last season. He’s not going to be chomping up huge amounts of yardage when his team is in full chuck it mode (like the 62-7 loss to New Orleans). He still managed to average 3.7 yards a carry and his best game of 17 carries for 86 yards and a score netted a 5.1 yards per carry against a very good Pittsburgh defense.
So I’m not expecting him to come in and run for over 1,000 yards. The Pats don’t run that much and the league is a passing league now. But I do expect him to make the cut and be that veteran presence in the locker room for second year backs Stevan Ridley (also from LSU) and Shane Vereen.
We shall see.
