The New England Patriots could benefit from adding more depth and talent at running back, and free agent Matt Breida might be the answer.
Breida, who once claimed to be “the fastest guy” in the NFL in 2020 after a 22.3 mph, 83-yard touchdown run in 2019, has consistently posted plays of 16 or more yards throughout his career, though his speed has likely diminished since then.
Most recently with the New York Giants, Breida has accumulated 2,652 rushing yards and nine touchdowns over his career. As a receiver, he has 120 catches for 935 yards and six touchdowns. In the past two seasons, he has maintained a catch rate of 80% or better and averaged over 5.2 yards after the catch. Although Breida has a career rushing average of 4.6 yards per carry, it dropped to 2.1 yards per carry last season.
Serving as the backup to Saquon Barkley with the Giants last season, Breida had the second-highest rushing total behind Barkley’s 962 yards and seven touchdowns. The Patriots could sign Breida for a modest amount, given his previous one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Giants in 2023. The Patriots currently have $49.3 million in salary cap space.
BREIDA THE CHEETAH@MattBreida goes 83 yards! 🏃♂️💨 #GoNiners
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Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/sST1rDvyeO pic.twitter.com/n5d8toSPt8— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2019
While Breida’s 22.3 mph run in 2019 made headlines, Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill holds the NextGen Stats record with a 23.24 mph run in 2016. Hill remains one of the fastest players, with a 21.66 mph run recorded in October 2023, and he had 13 catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots last season.
Patriots’ Running Back Depth After Rhamondre Stevenson
The Patriots could use another pass-catching back following Ezekiel Elliott’s departure. Lead back Rhamondre Stevenson had 38 catches for 238 yards last season and did not have to carry the full rushing load, with 619 yards and four touchdowns on 156 carries. The Patriots signed Antonio Gibson for additional depth after he posted 265 rushing yards, one touchdown, and 48 receptions for 389 yards and two touchdowns with the Washington Commanders last year. While Gibson’s numbers are comparable to Elliott’s from last year, the Patriots lack another back with a 500-yard season like Elliott’s.
The #Patriots called very little outside zone last season, but Rhamondre Stevenson ran the scheme at Oklahoma and it shows in his vision
Has the speed to get to the edge + the feel and footwork to adjust and exploit gaps as they present themselves
Onwenu and/or Sow were… pic.twitter.com/32qbY4sejB
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) May 9, 2024
Veteran Kevin Harris has only 34 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and three catches for 58 yards over his career. JaMycal Hasty hasn’t carried the ball in the past two seasons between New England and the Jacksonville Jaguars. His best season was in 2022 with 194 yards and two touchdowns for the Jaguars. He previously had 216 yards and two touchdowns over two seasons with the 49ers.