James White has been among the New England Patriots’ most productive offensive players since his second year in the NFL.
White, who has spent the last seven seasons with the Patriots, now enters free agency where he’ll be available on the open market when the new league year begins March 17.
And ESPN, for one, believes the 29-year-old White is the “most underrated” free-agent running back. It came Monday as The World Wide Leader ran through a position-by-position breakdown highlighting both overrated and underrated free agents using the Pro Football Focus database.
Here’s what was written about the pass-catching back:
White is a perfect running back for the modern NFL. He might not have the kind of skill set to handle an every-down role, but he can be an elite playmaker in a far more limited capacity and form part of an outstanding backfield committee. White has earned three straight receiving grades north of 80.0, and he has broken that barrier in four of the past five seasons.
One of the best receiving backs in the league, he has dropped just two passes in each of the past two seasons despite being targeted 152 total times. White will likely have a bargain price tag in free agency, but he could excel in the right offense with the right opportunity.
NESN.com’s Zack Cox, in part of a thorough free agency breakdown, pegged White’s likelihood of returning to the Patriots as “moderate.”
Others have expressed how White, a native of Florida, could join the Jacksonville Jaguars, who possess the financial means to make some big signings in free agency.
Teams can begin to talk to the agents of free agents during the legal tampering period March 15, while free agents can officially sign March 17.
