The Patriots Get Perfect Weapon for Mac Jones: His Old Weapon James White is Back for 2 More Years.
Patriots.com - According to a report by NFL.com's Tom Pelissero, the Patriots are retaining another one of their veteran captains, signing James White to a two-year pact.
White was limited to just three games in 2021, but showed good chemistry with quarterback Mac Jones, grabbing 12 catches for 84 yards, providing just a small glimpse of the connections that they also shared during training camp. His return will help round out an excellent running back room that also features Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. ...
White was elected captain in four-straight seasons from 2018-2021 and has the most receptions (364), receiving yards (3,161) and receiving touchdowns (25) by a running back in the NFL since 2015.
I want the Patriots to get Mac Jones a blue-chip, can't-miss, game-changing stud wide receiver. You want the Patriots to get Mac Jones a blue-chip, can't-miss, game-changing stud wide receiver. I'm sure Mac Jones and every offensive lineman and the tight ends want one. You'd have to be taking crazy pills not to want this. But unless and until that happens, via free agency where they're are reportedly scouring the shelves of every store in the mall that carries wideouts, or through the draft, retaining James White is a huge factor in helping Jones take the coveted, all-important, Year 2 Bounce.
The two-year, $5 million, $500,000 guaranteed deal White just signed is insanely team friendly for an elite pass-catching running back who just turned 30. Which not only upgrades an essential component that makes the Erhardt-Perkins scheme function, he's one of the few offensive players on the roster who was there for Super Bowl LIII, which is the last postseason game this franchise has won. And besides Brian Hoyer, the only skill position guy. Like I said last week, keeping the veteran leadership of guys like White and Devin McCourty (signed a one year, $9 million deal yesterday) who can be a bridge between 2022 and 2014-18 is essential. And it always sends a great message when veterans who had other options consider staying here to be a no brainer:
But the biggest reason this signing is a pure positive isn't the intangibles, it's in the services White can provide Jones. Receiving, giving him yards after catch in the screen game, in pass protection, with the occasional draw play. Brandon Bolden was one of the true surprises of 2021, next-man-upping in that role the way he did, but he's no James White. Case in point, in the two games before he got hurt, Jones targeted White more than anyone besides Jakobi Meyers (15 to 13), and his 12 receptions led the team. Then when White was carried off in Week 3 vs. New Orleans, not uncoincidentally, completed less than 60% of his passes, threw the first three interceptions of his career, and had a passer rating of 55.2 (his previous ones were 102.6 and 89.0). It wasn't a complete cause-and-effect, but losing a reliable target/safety valve/checkdown buddy came with negative consequences.
There are still receiver options out there. Allen Robinson chief among them. Jarvis Landry as a consolation prize. And obviously a huge rookie class coming in. But until someone else is added, the offense Mac 10 will be running just got appreciably better thanks to the reacquisition of a future team Hall of Famer with plenty of football left in him. A guy who, the last time he didn't have a disgruntled (2019) or ineffective (2020) quarterback throwing to him, set franchise records for a back with 87 catches, 751 receiving yards and seven TD receptions.
Besides, it gives me the excuse to dive down this rabbit hole again. Never gets old. Neither does he:
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Welcome back, champ.