Patriots fans should limit expectations for Rex Burkhead
By Cody Rivera
Much of Rex Burkhead’s tenure with the Patriots has been consumed by injuries, so fans should keep realistic expectations for him as he returns to action in Week 13.
Fans of the New England Patriots received some good news recently: running back Rex Burkhead has officially been activated off injured reserve, and he will be available for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Gillette Stadium.
It’s great for the team, as Burkhead is a dynamic running back who can add an extra spark to an offense that seemed to get back on track in Week 12. He’s even proven to be a reliable pass catcher as well.
Nonetheless, in the year and a half that Burkhead has been with New England, he’s been hit with the injury bug time and time again. That’s why fans shouldn’t let their hopes for Burkhead get over the moon.
It’s good to have him back, but expectations should be limited. The 28-year-old is returning from a neck injury that he suffered in New England’s Week 3 game against the Detroit Lions.
It shouldn’t even come as a surprise if Bill Belichick decides to be cautious with Burkhead going forward and holds him to a limited snap count, especially with outstanding runners like James White and Sony Michel in the backfield already.
There’s no doubt that when Burkhead is on the field, he’s a great asset to any team.
He’s as versatile as they come, and he showed that last season when he carried the ball 64 times for 264 yards and five touchdowns, as well as hauling in 30 receptions for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
Burkhead can do it all on the field. The only problem was, he only played in 10 games last season because he struggled to stay healthy.
Burkhead saw limited action in last year’s playoffs too, as the Patriots reached Super Bowl LII. He was even dealing with a minor tear in his knee coming into the 2018 season.
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As long as he can stay healthy, Burkhead is a fun player to watch and would be a big help to the Patriots down the stretch. But he hasn’t been able to stay healthy ever since he came to New England, so Patriots fans shouldn’t put all of their eggs in Burkhead’s basket.