Patriots RB Damien Harris Injury Status: What’s Next?
FOXBORO — The New England Patriots depth chart at running back may temporarily be a bit thinner for the foreseeable future.
After suffering a hamstring injury in the first quarter of the Patriots 29-0 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 5, running back Damien Harris is expected to miss ‘multiple games,’ as first reported by NFL Network.
While the length of his recovery time cannot be confirmed until Harris undergoes further testing, the current belief is that “he’ll be out for a bit.”
Harris’ final snap of the day came on the last play of the first quarter, which resulted in a run for no-gain on 2nd-and-1. Despite no glaring signs of injury, he left the game at the start of the second quarter, and was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the day at the start of the third quarter.
With rookie Pierre Strong having been a healthy inactive, second-year rusher Rhamondre Stevenson became the Patriots' only available running back against Detroit.
Having entered the game with 211 rushing yards on 43 carries (4.9 average) and one touchdown (along with 11 receptions for 57 yards), Stevenson put together his best game as a pro on Sunday. While taking on the lead back role, Stevenson carried the ball 21 times for 138 yards, while adding two catches for 14 yards. His versatile running style and ability to pick up the blitz was heavily lauded by coach Bill Belichick.
Still, Harris has clearly established himself as New England’s top option at the position over the past two seasons. In 2021, he enjoyed his most productive season; rushing for 959 yards on 211 carries. The Alabama product finished second in the league with 15 rushing touchdowns while catching 19 passes for 139 yards.
Harris has appeared in five games for the Patriots, this far in 2022, running for 246 yards on 53 carries (4.6 yards-per-rush) and three touchdowns. Prior to his exit from the field on Sunday, Harris had rushed four times for 11 yards.
Despite some ball security issues early in his career, Harris has continuously improved his confidence and experience, running for both power and finesse. When given the space to maneuver, the Alabama product is capable of breaking for significant yardage. He can also be a factor when receiving out of the backfield, a trait which he exhibited during his days at Alabama. Harris skill set, as well as his leadership and enthusiasm has made him a favorite among his teammates, as well as the fanbase.
Therefore, keeping Damien Harris in the Foxboro fold seems to be an easy decision, right?
Not so fast…
Harris is currently playing in the final year of his rookie deal. As such, he is keenly aware that career longevity is not often attributed to NFL running backs. As a result, some teams (including the Patriots) are hesitant to sign players at the position to lucrative, multi-year deals. Despite his need to perform at a high level, Harris remains both enthusiastic and motivated to be the best he can be on the field. He is routinely one of the most vocal and pleasantly animated players on the field.
Though the case for the Patriots’ re-signing Harris is strong, the 25-year-old is keenly aware of the competition he faces from Stevenson, as well as the potential emergence of rookies Strong and Kevin Harris, who currently resides on the practice squad.
Ultimately, Harris prefers to count his blessings instead of dwelling on a potentially uncertain future beyond 2022.
“I just love what I do, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “Every morning when I wake up I feel so blessed and so fortunate to be able to come out here and play the game that I love, and do what I dreamed of since the first time I ever touched a football. That’s where my energy and my enthusiasm comes from, just the love of the game … love my teammates, these coaches … I feel very fortunate to be a part of this organization.”
Prior to his exit from the field on Sunday, Harris had rushed four times for 11 yards. Harris has appeared in five games for the Patriots and ran for 246 yards on 53 carries (4.6 yards-per-rush) and three touchdowns.
Should Harris’ injury indeed keep him out for an extended period of time, New England will fill the void with Stevenson as their top option, with Strong, Kevin Harris, as well as practice squad veteran J.J. Taylor in reserve, situational roles.
New England may also look to the free agent wire as well as the trade market, to round out their depth chart with a veteran option.
The Patriots are set to begin preparations for their Week 6 showdown with the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Oct. 16 at FirstEnergy Stadium, when they hit the practice fields on Wednesday.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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