After exploring free agency, James White is staying put.
The veteran running back is expected to re-sign with the New England Patriots, according to a report Wednesday from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
White's new contract will be a one-year deal, per Fowler, the terms of which were not reported.
Best known for his postseason heroics in Super Bowl LI, White has spent his entire seven-year career in New England and has been the Patriots' top pass-catching back since 2015. He reportedly received interest from several teams, including Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before opting to remain in Foxboro.
The 29-year-old endured a down season by his standards in 2020 (while also dealing with extremely difficult off-the-field circumstances) but still ranked in the top 10 among running backs in catches (49, T-ninth) and receiving yards (375, eighth) despite missing two games. He's also ranked in the top five among backs in third-down receptions in each of the last five seasons, per Radar360, including first in 2019.
The most productive year of White's career came in 2018, when he set career highs in nearly every statistical category, including catches (87) and yards from scrimmage (1,176), for a Patriots team that won Super Bowl LIII. He tallied 908 yards from scrimmage in 2019 before managing just 496 last season -- his lowest mark since 2015 -- while uncharacteristically struggling in pass protection.
Universally respected in the Patriots' locker room, White is coming off his third consecutive season as a team captain.
"I can’t even put into words how much you can learn from a guy like James White," fellow running back Damien Harris said in December. "... I really look up to him a lot. And he knows that. I tell him every day every chance I get. James White is definitely a guy you can say, ‘Yeah, I want to be like James White when I grow up.’ "
Re-signing White fills the biggest remaining hole on New England's roster, as neither Harris nor Sony Michel has provided much pass-catching production at the NFL level. The Patriots also have the special teams-focused Brandon Bolden and promising 2020 undrafted rookie J.J. Taylor on their depth chart and still could re-up the versatile Rex Burkhead, who is coming off a season-ending knee injury and might not be ready for Week 1.
White is the second internal free agent to re-sign with the Patriots after testing the market. Center David Andrews did the same last week. New England also has re-acquired several former Patriots this offseason, bringing back linebacker Kyle Van Noy and center/guard Ted Karras in free agency and offensive tackle Trent Brown via trade.
