Patriots’ Flier On Former 1,000-Yard Back James Robinson Ends In June

James Robinson’s run at a roster spot with the New England Patriots has reached its end three months in.

The organization officially waived the former 1,000-yard back as mandatory minicamp began Monday, leaving behind no fully guaranteed money from a contract that included no signing bonus.

Once projected to compete for the complementary role that Buffalo Bills addition Damien Harris had held next to starter Rhamondre Stevenson, Robinson’s two-year, $4 million deal brought an injury waiver and split salaries.

The deal also brought a $150,000 roster bonus for 2023, plus $160,000 workout bonuses and $680,000 in cumulative per-game active bonuses for both seasons, as detailed in March by A to Z Sports’ Doug Kyed.

Up to an additional $4 million could have been earned by Robinson through incentives for rushing yards over the course of the agreement. But the way it was built allowed the Patriots to move from a player with an injury history as well as 23 touchdowns through 39 games.

It proved to be in June.

The New York Jets had declined to tender Robinson, 24, as a restricted free agent in March after acquiring him from the Jacksonville Jaguars leading up to the league’s trade deadline last fall. On the other side of an exchange involving a conditional sixth-round draft choice, his short stint in East Rutherford spanned 29 carries for 85 yards and one receiving touchdown. He was inactive five consecutive weeks to conclude the winter.

Robinson suffered a torn left Achilles late in the 2021 season after logging 989 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. He returned in time for the 2022 opener. Yet the keys to Jacksonville backfield soon became Clemson product Travis Etienne’s while the Illinois State product scored four times through his final seven appearances for the club.

Undrafted in 2020, Robinson tallied 289 offensive touches in his debut NFL campaign. The Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie selection turned those touches into 1,070 rushing yards, 344 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. He marked the fourth undrafted rookie in NFL history to hit the 1,000-yard mark on the ground in the process.

Robinson will be now subject to the league’s claiming period.

And behind Stevenson, who emerged for 1,461 scrimmage yards last season, the Patriots will go forward with sophomore draft picks Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris on the depth chart alongside veterans Ty Montgomery and J.J. Taylor.

New England’s mandatory minicamp continues into Wednesday before the team breaks until training camp in late July.