The New England Patriots have added a weapon for Mac Jones in the running and passing game. On Thursday, the Patriots signed WR-RB Ty Montgomery to a two-year deal worth $4 million per NFL insider Josina Anderson.
I’m told RB Ty Montgomery is agreeing to a 2-year deal worth up to $4M with the #Patriots, per league source.
The Book on Ty Montgomery
The Montgomery signing was the loudest move on another quiet day of free-agency activity in Patriots Nation, but the 29-year-old could have a solid impact on New England’s offense.
Montgomery has been in the NFL since 2015 when he broke in with the Green Bay Packers after he was drafted in the third round. He played in only six games as a rookie while playing running back, but he showed what he could do in the passing game with 15 receptions for 136 yards and 2 TDS that year.
With a bigger role in 2016, Montgomery managed 805 yards from scrimmage with three more trips to the end zone. He missed 8 games in 2017, but he still got more touches per game. His yards from scrimmage dipped to 453, but he scored four times.
In 2018, the Packers traded Montgomery to the Baltimore Ravens for a seventh-round pick. He played a year with the New York Jets in 2019, but landed with the New Orleans Saints in 2020 where he also played in 2021.
Last season, Montgomery appeared in 14 games with three starts for the Saints. He was only used sparingly receiving 15 rushing attempts and garnering just 26 targets in the passing game. With the opportunities, Montgomery managed just 139 yards from scrimmage, and for the third year in a row, he failed to score a TD.
Where is the upside in bringing in a guy like Montgomery?
Essentially, Montgomery serves as insurance for James White. The Patriots recently re-signed their long-time leader and third-down specialist. However, White is coming off a season that was ended prematurely by a serious hip injury.
In the event White cannot contribute on the level the Patriots have become accustomed to expect from him, Montgomery has a similar skill set, and could slide into that role.
Also, as a pure wide receiver, Montgomery also represents a player with some run-after-the-catch ability. In 2020, Montgomery averaged a healthy 11 yards after the catch. If he can recapture that production with the Patriots, he could potentially add some explosiveness to New England’s attack.
Is There Anyone on the Patriots’ Radar That Will Move the Needle in Free Agency?
As Patriots fans watched guys like Myles Jack (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Rams), Davante Adams (Raiders) and other dream additions land with other teams, they can’t help but wonder if any player of stature will be added to New England’s roster.
As of late on March 17, Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Julio Jones were still available. Beckham is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl. Landry was just released by the Cleveland Browns and Jones was dropped by the Tennessee Titans.
The Patriots have the financial freedom to make a strong push after any of the three players mentioned. While that might seem like a no-brainer considering the Patriots are seemingly on the prowl for a No. 1 receiver.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as though there is a great deal of a push to go out and secure a high-profile receiver. As we inch closer to the NFL Draft in April, we’ll have to wait to see if the Patriots decide to aggressively pursue a bigger-name WR.
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Patriots Sign Dynamic Swiss-Army Knife Weapon For Mac Jones: Report