New England Patriots should find a way to get J.J. Taylor on the roster

The New England Patriots should try to get J.J. Taylor on the opening week roster.

It will not be easy for any unexpected running back to make the New England Patriots roster in 2020. Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Brandon Bolden and Damien Harris are all extremely likely to make the roster, leaving little to no room for others. That being said, with the Patriots perhaps looking more towards the future than ever before, they should consider making room for a high-upside undrafted rookie at the position.

Running back J.J. Taylor was the most exciting undrafted addition made by the New England Patriots this offseason. Taylor was an exciting playmaker in college, showing incredible natural elusiveness in the open field and impressive burst through the hole. When the crease opens, Taylor undoubtedly has the speed to get vertical and separate from the defense.

He is an impressive overall playmaker as both a runner and a receiver. Taylor averaged 5.6 yards per carry throughout his college career and piled up 32 receptions for 289 yards in 2019. Simply put, this guy is an explosive weapon with the ball in his hands who can make an impact at the next level.

He is small but has an exciting mix of skills

The primary reason that Taylor went undrafted was his lack of size. At 5-foot-6, 185 pounds, Taylor is not going to win with power against most NFL defenders. That being said, he does a great job of keeping a low base and generating some serious forward lean on contact. He is also a slippery player who has quick feet and fantastic ball carrier instincts. There is undoubtedly plenty of natural upside in his game.

While I would not expect to see Taylor see much time with the Patriots in 2020, if he continues to improve as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, he could take on an important role for the team in 2021 and beyond. James White will become a free agent after the 2020 season and while the Patriots could certainly look to bring him back, Taylor could potentially replace his role at a much cheaper cost.

I am not saying that Taylor will be an immediate one-for-one replacement for White, but he has legitimate athleticism and exciting upside with the ball in his hands. He could quickly become an exciting target out of the backfield in New England and grow into an important role in their offense.

With Jarrett Stidham taking over as the starting quarterback, the New England Patriots should not be considered serious competitors in 2020. With this being the case, they may benefit from making some roster decisions based on the future. Taylor is an exciting player who could fit their offense extremely well. I would not be surprised to see them trying to keep him on the roster more as a future asset than as a guy who can help in 2020.