The New England Patriots kicked the tires on running back James Starks on Thursday.
The free agent visited the Pats, but no deal has been announced.
It appears the Green Bay Packers are also interested, now that they’ve lost out on Matt Forte.
According to a source on Thursday, the team has told Starks that they’re interested in re-signing the veteran running back.
Even though he’s coming off his most-productive season (993 total yards), we’re not terribly high on Starks.
He’ll be 30 this year and he doesn’t provide the type of match-up problem the Packers really need coming out of the backfield. Although Starks is a decent receiver, opposing teams can still cover him with a linebacker.
What would really tilt the field in the Packers’ favor is if they had a receiving threat at running back who was much faster and more elusive than a linebacker. Then an opposing defense would have to use a defensive back to cover the running back.
That creates a mismatch elsewhere.
Bringing back James Starks doesn’t make the Packers better.
It makes them the same.
Regardless of whether it’s Starks or someone else, the Packers will need to come up with another running back somehow this offseason.
Currently, only Eddie Lacy and former undrafted free agent John Crockett are under contract.