Report: Patriots Hosting Free-Agent Running Back Rex Burkhead For Visit
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots remain busy in NFL free agency and appear to be in the market for another running back. ESPN's Field Yates tweeted on Monday that free-agent back Rex Burkhead is visiting the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.
Burkhead, 26, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. A sixth-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Burkhead saw his biggest role yet in the Bengals offense in 2016, rushing 74 times for 344 yards (a 4.6-yard average) and two touchdowns while playing in all 16 games. In Week 17 against the Ravens, Burkhead rushed 27 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
The Boston Herald's Jeff Howe tweeted on March 2 that he was expecting the Patriots to at least show interest in Burkhead as a free agent - because he shares an agent with head coach Bill Belichick.
LeGarrette Blount remains an unrestricted free agent and a candidate to return to New England. The Patriots could be looking to add Burkhead (5-foot-10, 214 pounds) to be Blount's replacement as a power back, or simply to be a depth piece at the position.
It's been a thin market for running backs in general, as CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora explained to Toucher & Rich on Monday.
