Patriots ink Steven Jackson to fix running back situation

The New England Patriots are turning to Steven Jackson to fix their depleted running back corps.

When the New England Patriots were forced to place running back LaGarrette Blount on injured reserve with a hip injury last Monday, the Super Bowl contenders needed to find a way to add some help to their depleted backfield. They appear to have found a solution.

According to multiple reports, including the Boston Herald, the Patriots have inked veteran running back Steven Jackson for the remainder of the season, and hope that he can provide some leadership in a decidedly inexperienced backfield.

Having not played a single down all season, Jackson was nonetheless ecstatic about his return to the NFL, posting a celebratory photo on Instagram to mark the occasion.

In the posting, Jackson noted just one thing, “I’m back.” It was a blunt statement, but one that Patriots fans will undoubtedly be curious about. His last two seasons, spent with the Atlanta Falcons, have left much to be desired. On 347 attempts, Jackson produced just 1250 yards and 12 touchdowns over a 27-game tenure with Atlanta’s pass happy offense. He also added 53 receptions for 339 yards and a single touchdown during that span.

The Patriots are hoping the fresh legs of a delayed season will help Jackson get back to his days with the St. Louis Rams. In nine seasons in St. Louis, Jackson ran for 10,138 yards on 2,396 attempts, scoring 56 times and averaging more than half-a-yard more per carry with the Rams. He won’t be counted on to run the ball that often with the Patriots, but if he can help spread the load even a little bit, it will be tremendously helpful for a New England offense that has lost some key components as the season comes to a close.