Damien Harris shone in offseason activities, but his hopes of a lead role in the New England Patriots’ backfield have been hit by an injury.
After strong showings in offseason practices, Damien Harris appeared primed to take on a prominent role in the New England Patriots’ backfield.
However, New England’s third-round pick may have to wait a while to prove himself in the NFL. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported Harris has been dealing with a minor hand/wrist injury.
Though the injury is not severe, the chances of Harris being the early-down back in the Patriots’ offense — something that seemed a genuine possibility in the spring — now look to be slim.
Harris missed the Patriots’ first preseason game with the Detroit Lions, and a report from Kevin Duffy of The Boston Herald revealed a scarcity in Harris’ reps of late.
Duffy added that former first-round pick Sony Michel is clearly the Patriots’ top ball-carrier.
There is, of course, still time for Harris to ascend the depth chart. Even if he does not make the desired impact in the exhibition schedule, his potential influence on the regular season is unlikely to hinge on what he does in the preseason.
Plenty of rookies have gone on to enjoy successful first seasons in the league without impressing in training camp and preseason. Still, in a Patriots’ backfield where competition for places is intense, there is no doubt Harris now has a difficult task to stand out from the crowd.
Michel has much credit in the bank after his crucial role in the Patriots’ run to Super Bowl LIII glory, while James White remains New England’s primary pass-catching back.
Rex Burkhead also had an impact in that playoff surge and has earned the trust of Bill Belichick, who is highly unlikely to put much stock in the draft status of his players when settling on who should take the bulk of the workload in the backfield.
Even as a day-two pick, Harris now looks to have a battle on his hands to earn substantial playing time as a rookie. The best ability is availability and Harris will need to shake off his injury soon to give himself a better chance of realizing the potential he displayed in spring in the regular season.