Is Damien Harris Entering Final Season With Patriots?
FOXBORO— The New England Patriots corps of running backs were among the team’s most productive positional groupings on the team in 2021.
Despite a season-ending subluxation of the hip suffered by team captain James White in Week 3, New England ran the ball efficiently. The Patriots finished eighth in the NFL in rushing, getting solid contributions from veteran Brandon Bolden, rookie Rhamondre Stevenson and feature back Damien Harris.
Over the past two seasons, Harris has clearly established himself as New England’s top option at the position. In 2021, he enjoyed his most productive season with 959 yards on 211 carries. The Alabama product finished second in the league with 15 rushing touchdowns while catching 19 passes for 139 yards.
As he begins his fourth season with the Pats, 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 during practice, especially during training camp.
As such, keeping Harris in the Foxboro fold seems to be a easy decision.
Not so fast …
Harris 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 as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, Harris is squarely focused on the upcoming season.
“I just like to come out here and be my best,” Harris told reporters following Friday’s practice. “I don’t count the days or anything like that. I just like to come out here and play football.”
The case for the Patriots’ re-signing Harris is strong. Despite some early ball security issues, 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. Rarely seen without a smile on his face since training camp began, Harris continues to grind each day out of pure love for the game.
“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 when I was eight years old the first time I ever touched a football. That’s where my energy and my enthusiasm comes from, just the love of the game. I love my teammates, these coaches, this entire organization.”
While Harris is expected to retain his role at feature back, he will have competition for playing time in 2022. Stevenson is poised to take on a more prominent place in the Patriots’ running game. Though White is currently on the physically unable to perform list, his experience, leadership and abilities as a dual-threat make him a roster lock for as long as he wears a uniform. Additionally, rookies Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris potentially signify the Pats future plans at the position. Therefore, Harris’ outlook in New England beyond 2022 is uncertain, at best.
Still, the 25-year-old prefers to count his blessings instead of his dwell on what life beyond 2022 may hold.
“I feel very fortunate to be a part of this organization … that’s just where I get all the energy from,” Harris said. I just love what I do, I love who I do it with, and every time I step on this field I feel fortunate to be in this position. I’ll always have that energy, I’ll always have the juice, and I’m always going to feel this way because I feel so lucky, so fortunate to be out here.”
The Patriots will conclude their first week on training camp practices on Saturday, with plans to participate in their first padded practice on Monday.
