If you followed preseason coverage of the New England Patriots, you surely heard all about the improvements they made to their lackluster offense this past spring.
They spent big on the two best tight ends on the market (Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith). They added two new veteran receivers (Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne) to complement 2020 standouts Jakobi Meyers. They filled out their backfield with fourth-round draft pick Rhamondre Stevenson. And, of course, they added their quarterback of the future and the present, Mac Jones.
Jones’ promising performance has been heavily scrutinized during the Patriots’ 1-1 start to the 2021 season. But how have his new and returning weapons fared? Here’s a breakdown of what each New England skill player has brought to the table thus far:
RUNNING BACKS
Damien Harris
64 offensive snaps (48.1 percent)
39 carries, 162 yards (4.2 per carry), one touchdown
Four targets, three catches, 19 yards
One fumble (lost)
74.4 Pro Football Focus grade (10th among RBs)
Had Harris not fumbled inside the Miami Dolphins’ 10-yard line in Week 1, the Patriots likely would be 2-0. But other than that calamitous error, he’s run well this season. His 26-yard touchdown romp against the New York Jets — which featured no fewer than seven broken tackles — will be a Play of the Year candidate. Only All-Pro Derrick Henry has generated more yards after contact than Harris has through two games, per PFF.
James White
57 offensive snaps (42.9 percent)
Nine carries, 32 yards (3.6 per carry), one touchdown
13 targets, 12 catches, 94 yards
77.4 PFF grade (T-sixth)
White has been arguably the Patriots’ best offensive player thus far, bouncing back strongly after a difficult 2020 campaign. He leads the team in catches and receiving yards, ran for a touchdown in Week 2 and has been a vital resource for Jones as the rookie QB acclimates to the NFL.
Rhamondre Stevenson
Five offensive snaps (3.8 percent)
One carry, 2 yards (2.0 per carry)
One target, one catch, 9 yards
One fumble (lost)
It’s been a tough go for Stevenson. The first-year pro looked great in the preseason but was brutal in Week 1, losing a fumble and blowing a blitz pickup in less than a half-dozen snaps. That performance got him exiled to Healthy Scratch Land for Week 2. We’ll see how long it takes for him to play his way back into the lineup.
J.J. Taylor
Five offensive snaps (3.8 percent)
Two carries, 3 yards (1.5 per carry)
A healthy scratch for the season opener, Taylor took over Stevenson’s spot this past Sunday but played sparingly. A favorite of position coach Ivan Fears, the 5-foot-6 sparkplug also impressed in the preseason, leading all NFL rushers with 7.8 yards per carry.
Brandon Bolden
Two offensive snaps (1.5 percent)
One carry, 5 yards (5.0 per carry)
Returning after his 2020 opt-out, Bolden has been used almost exclusively on special teams.
TIGHT ENDS
Hunter Henry
101 offensive snaps (75.9 percent)
Seven targets, five catches, 73 yards
66.1 PFF grade (23rd among TEs)
Henry missed the entire preseason with a shoulder injury, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that he hasn’t been overly impactful as a pass-catcher thus far. He’s made his five catches count, though: four went for first downs — including a 32-yard pickup down the seam against the Jets — and the fifth was a 9-yard gain on first-and-10. Neither tight end has been a road-grader in the run game, but Henry made key blocks on both of New England’s Week 2 touchdown carries.
Jonnu Smith
84 offensive snaps (63.2 percent)
10 targets, nine catches, 70 yards
One carry, 6 yards
One fumble (recovered)
50.3 PFF grade (53rd)
The Patriots have tried to utilize Smith’s prodigious YAC ability by frequently targeting him on screens, shallow crossers and other catch-and-run routes. They even gave him a handoff on the opening drive of the season. So far, it hasn’t really popped. He’s averaging a modest 7.8 yards per reception and has gained first-down yardage on just three of his nine catches, with one of those coming on a double-pass trick play. He also had a fumble in Week 1 and a drop in Week 2 (on a slightly off-target pass by Jones). Still, it feels like a breakout could be brewing for one or both of the Patriots’ big-money tight ends, neither of whom saw game action with Jones this summer. A hip injury limited Smith’s workload Sunday — he played 50 percent of snaps, down from 73 percent in the opener — but he still saw five targets, third-most on the team behind White and Meyers.
Devin Asasi
Zero snaps
Asiasi has started his second pro season with back-to-back healthy scratches.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Jakobi Meyers
126 offensive snaps (94.7 percent)
15 targets, 10 catches, 82 yards
66.4 PFF grade (47th among WRs)
Meyers is New England’s No. 1 wideout in terms of both playing time — he’s hardly left the field this season — and target share. He converted four third downs in Week 1 — though he had a fifth third-down target bounce off his hands in the red zone — and was on the receiving end of Jones’ best pass of Week 2, a 24-yard over-the-shoulder ball off a slot fade.
Nelson Agholor
114 offensive snaps (85.7 percent)
10 targets, eight catches, 93 yards, one touchdown
71.2 PFF grade (T-33rd)
Agholor’s potential as a vertical threat was evident against Miami when he pulled in two 20-plus-yard passes from Jones. He also caught the first-year QB’s only touchdown pass to date, a quick 7-yarder in Week 1. Agholor was quiet in Week 2 (three targets, three catches, 21 yards) but could have scored on the aforementioned trick play had Jones looked his way (he settled for a shorter, high-percentage completion to Smith).
Kendrick Bourne
64 offensive snaps (48.1 percent)
Six targets, three catches, 27 yards
One carry, 16 yards
63.8 PFF grade (60th)
Bourne nearly fumbled on his first touch of the Jets game (officials ruled his forward progress had stopped) and later dropped a pass on third down. But he also had one of the Patriots’ best rushes of the game, picking up 16 yards on a reverse (aided by a block from Jones). Bourne caught just one pass in Week 1 but had 11- and 33-yard gains wiped out by penalties. Don’t expect him to stuff the stat sheet, but he’s a solid third option with versatility.
Gunner Olszewski
16 offensive snaps (12.0 percent)
Zero targets
Olszewski has a larger offensive role than he did in previous seasons, but the bulk of his work still comes in the kicking game. He’s only touched the ball on punt and kick returns.
N’Keal Harry
Injured reserve
A preseason shoulder injury landed Harry on IR. The 2019 first-round draft pick will be eligible to return for next Sunday’s Week 4 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
