Patriots finally sign free agent running back in flurry of roster moves
Patriots finally sign free agent running back in flurry of roster moves originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots made several roster moves Saturday, and one of them was the addition of a free agent running back.
They signed running back C.J. Marable and offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool. In order to make room for them on the roster, the team released linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi and rookie free agent safety Jourdan Heilig.
Marable played in the USFL for the Birmingham Stallions over the last two seasons and helped them win back-to-back championships. He had a brief tenure with the Chicago Bears in 2021 but never appeared in an NFL game. He was a dual-threat running back at Coastal Carolina from 2018 through 2020.
Vanterpool also played in the USFL for the New Jersey Generals after going undrafted out of the University of Hawaii. adds much-needed depth to an offensive line group that has struggled in training camp and didn't play well in last Thursday's preseason opener versus the Houston Texans.
The Patriots have been rumored to have interest in veteran running backs Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott in recent weeks. Elliott visited the Patriots in late July and it reportedly went "really well." Elliott reportedly wants more money than teams are currently willing to pay.
The Patriots' next preseason game is Saturday, Aug. 19 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
