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Through the first two weeks of the season, New England Patriots rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson has seemingly gone from a first-year back getting more snaps than normal to a guy who may not be a part of the team’s rotation at his position.
That’s what happens when a young running back fumbles in his first game and gets overwhelmed in an embarrassing pass-protection situation. As it stands, the Patriots dressed four running backs for the September 19 game if you count Brandon Bolden, who almost exclusively plays special teams. Damien Harris got the bulk of the carries followed by third-down specialist James White and the diminutive J.J. Taylor, who is more of a scat back. Some might consider that group sufficient for the Patriots at the position.
Philip Lindsay Called a Trade Target for the Patriots
Others, such as Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey, believe the Patriots might eye a running back for depth. Tansey identified Houston Texans running back Philip Lindsay as trade target for the Patriots.
Tansey mentioned the Indianapolis Colts’ Marlon Mack as an option, considering he’s buried behind Jonathon Taylor and Nyhiem Hines. He also called New York Jets receiver Denzel Mims a “low-risk, high-reward” trade option.
Lindsay is on a 2-0 team, but the Texans just lost their starting quarterback in Tyrod Taylor. With rookie Davis Mills set to step into the role, Tansey sees a potential fall and opening for a trade.
Tansey wrote:
The Houston Texans started the season with two victories, but the season could go south fast with Davis Mills now at quarterback. If Houston’s season goes downhill with its backup quarterback on the field, New England could look at one of the team’s three running backs. Mark Ingram II is the primary back in Houston, and he would not be a good fit with Harris established as the No. 1 back in New England. David Johnson might not work at Gillette Stadium either since he carries similar pass-catching qualities as James White. Phillip Lindsay would be the ideal target from the Houston backfield for the Patriots because he can be a high-quality No. 2 running back. Lindsay was a two-time 1,000-yard rusher at the start of his career with the Denver Broncos, and he has produced one score on 13 rushing attempts to begin the 2021 campaign in Houston. With Ingram as the clear No. 1 in Houston, Lindsay could be viewed as an expendable piece if a fire sale happens in the coming weeks. This potential trade could be dependent on how Houston fares while Tyrod Taylor is out injured, but it would be worth setting the wheels in motion now if Stevenson is going to be on the inactive list again.
The Texans have proven to be a viable trade partner for the Patriots of late. Could this be the next link in the chain?
The New Patriots & Texans Trade Pipeline
Over the past five months, the Patriots and Texans have completed two trades. Also, a number of former Patriots have signed with the Texans. One trade sent offensive lineman Marcus Cannon to the Texans in exchange for a pick swap.
The other had Ryan Izzo landing in H-Town for a 2022 seventh-round pick. The Texans’ new general manager Nick Caserio worked in the Patriots’ front office under Bill Belichick from 2004 to 2020, and he’d worked with New England in some capacity since 2001.
Needless to say, Caserio and Belichick know each other well. It wouldn’t be a shock to see more deals swung between the two franchises in next few months and years.
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