Bill Belichick Explains Why Patriots Signed Lamar Miller
One thing that hadn't been asked yet of Bill Belichick since the Lamar Miller signing is why the New England Patriots chose to sign the veteran running back. And for the Patriots head coach, it was just about adding a good player to a team that had a few open roster spots.
"Our roster was at one point down around 75 maybe, somewhere in there, 74 or 75," Belichick said during a video conference with media Wednesday. "I can’t remember, but it was significantly below the 80-man roster limit. So, if we can add quality and depth to our team, then we’ll do that."
Miller missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the preseason. He starts his Patriots tenure on the active/physically unable to perform list as a result to make sure he is 100 percent healthy.
"Of course, you know, Lamar missed the season last year and is coming off last year’s injury, so we’ll see how that goes," Belichick said. "But, hopefully he’ll be able to work his way back onto the field, and we’ll see where he’s at."
Miller has had two seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards during his nine-year career. In 2018, he rushed for 973 yards over the course of 14 games and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. He also made the Pro Bowl during his three-year stint with the Houston Texans.
Belichick mentioned last week there would be a lot of "player movement" in the early part of training camp. In regards to the running backs, this is due to Michel's injury and him being placed on the active/physically unable to perform list at the beginning of training camp. Even though both Michel and Miller are both currently sidelined, the hope is that Miller will be able to bounce back quicker than Michel and be productive during the third-year running back's absence.
Adding Miller was yet another smart move by Belichick and the Patriots to add some experience and skill to a team that will be relying heavily on rookies this season.
