Patriots Release Former 1,000-Yard Rusher James Robinson Three Months After Signing

The former 1,000-yard rusher signed with New England in March after finishing the 2022 season with the Jets following a mid-season trade.

With mandatory minicamps commencing this week league-wide, the Patriots made a notable transaction Monday involving a former 1,000-yard rusher entering his fourth NFL season.

New England waived running back James Robinson three months after signing him as a free agent, according to the NFL’s official transaction report. The move now leaves the Patriots with five backs, with Rhamondre Stevenson set for a lead role following the departure of Damien Harris.

Robinson, who tore his Achilles in 2021, inked a two-year, $8 million deal in March that, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “was structured in a way that protected the Patriots based on Robinson’s injury history.”

While there have been no reports regarding any setbacks, Reiss noted the 24-year-old’s release comes at a time when players are undergoing physicals with mandatory minicamp underway as of Monday.

An undrafted prospect out of Illinois State in 2020, Robinson made an early impression with an impactful rookie season for the Jaguars. The 5-foot-9 bruiser logged 1,414 yards from scrimmage, the most ever by an undrafted player, by tallying 1,070 rushing yards, and 49 receptions for 344 yards with 10 total touchdowns.

In the years since bursting onto the scene, however, Robinson has seen his role curtailed since returning from injury.

After getting out to a hot start with Jacksonville in 2022 with 230 yards rushing and four scores over Weeks 1–3, Robinson lost momentum and played sparingly before being traded to the Jets for a conditional sixth-round pick in October. He went on to appear in just four games for New York, and finished the season with 425 rushing yards.