Harris was recently signed to the 53-man roster.
For most of the 2023 season, the New England Patriots’ running back group was a two-player show. Rhamondre Stevenson served as the the No. 1 option in the backfield, gaining a team-high 857 scrimmage yards over the first 12 games of the season; Ezekiel Elliott offered experienced rotational depth alongside him.
When Stevenson went down with a high-ankle sprain against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13, however, that established order had to change. Elliott moved up the depth chart into the RB1 role, with Ty Montgomery and JaMycal Hasty seemingly the next men up.
However, neither the since-released Montgomery nor Hasty has been able to provide much on the offensive side of the ball. Instead, the team turned to Kevin Harris.
The sophomore running back was elevated from the practice squad to the game day roster for both contests following Stevenson’s injury, including last Sunday’s outing versus the Kansas City Chiefs. While Harris played only seven snaps compared to Elliott’s 46, he made sure to make them count.
Harris carried the football four times for 25 total yards and one touchdown; a 18-yard scamper that brought the team within 10 in the fourth quarter.
“You know it’s hard to get carries when you’ve got Zeke and Mondre in front of you,” he said after the Patriots’ eventual 27-17 loss. “I was given the opportunity to get in there [Sunday] and I made the most of it.”
His performance may not have jumped off the stat sheet, but it was enough for the Patriots to officially add Harris to their 53-man roster this week. He was promoted in a series of transactions that also saw cornerback J.C. Jackson placed on the non-football illness list.
Harris was a logical choice to fill that spot, both due to his apparent standing on the running back depth chart and his development over the course of his second NFL season.
“Solid guy,” head coach Bill Belichick said about him. “He’s here every day. Works hard every day. Scout team, offense, kicking game, he’s worked hard on his pass protection and pass routes. He can carry the ball, but he’s worked on other parts of his game, too. So, it’s helped him become more well-rounded player. He’s a solid guy. He works and gives you solid effort every day.”
Elliott had similar praise for his young teammate.
“He’s been working his tail off all year,” the veteran said. “Never complained, always came to work, always showed up.”
Harris arrived in New England as a sixth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Spending a significant portion of his rookie season on the practice squad, he appeared in five games and carried the ball a combined 18 times for 52 yards and one touchdown.
His 2023 season has looked quite similar. He was originally released ahead of roster cutdowns, stuck around on the practice squad, and eventually found his way onto the 53-man roster.
Whether he will have some longer-lasting staying power this time around remains to be seen. The Patriots appear willing to find out.