FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots rookie running back D.J. Foster took a big step Monday.
Rather than leaving to work on conditioning during positional drills, Foster stayed on the practice field with the rest of his Patriots teammates for the first time this summer. This usually means a player is healthy and ready to perform in a preseason game.
“It felt real good to get back out there, be out there with the team, getting back in the flow of things,” Foster said Tuesday. “Just working every day to just keep being more healthier and get out there and do what I can.”
The Patriots’ running back competition isn’t exactly wide open right now, but with Dion Lewis needing a second procedure on his surgically repaired knee, there’s certainly a crevice for a player like Foster or Tyler Gaffney to slip through and carve out a role.
LeGarrette Blount is expected to be the Patriots’ early down back, and James White is penciled in as the sub-package receiving specialist. Brandon Bolden will hold down his usual role as a super sub and special-teams ace, and that leaves a fourth roster spot open for Foster, Gaffney, Joey Iosefa or a player acquired via free agency or trade.
We haven’t seen much of Foster since he signed as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State, but he was by far the fastest and quickest of the Patriots running backs during organized team activities and minicamp before he injured his hamstring. He’ll finally have a real chance to shine Friday night if he’s healthy enough to suit up in the Patriots’ third preseason game, against the Carolina Panthers.
“I’m excited,” Foster said about the possibility of playing. “Just coming to work every day, just continuously get better and make sure mentally I’m there with the playbook and learning as much as I can with that.”
He wouldn’t confirm if he’d play, however.
“That’s up to Coach (Bill) Belichick,” Foster said. “That’s up to the coaching staff. You’d have to ask them, but I’ll be as much prepared as I can and learn everything and take as much reps as I can this week mentally.”
Foster, who’s 6 feet and 195 pounds, fits more in the mold of a third-down or sub-package back. He played running back in his first three seasons at Arizona State before moving to wide receiver as a senior. He finished his college career with 444 carries for 2,355 yards and 18 touchdowns and 666 receptions for 2,458 yards with 14 scores.
Foster had more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three college seasons. His best year came in 2014, when he had 256 touches for 1,769 yards with 12 touchdowns.
If Foster can prove to be a solid ball-carrier between the tackles, he could even challenge White for the Patriots’ third-down role until Lewis returns. First, Foster must crack the roster, however.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
