Lamar Miller hopes to catch on with the Patriots

For Lamar Miller, the decision to sign with the Patriots was a no brainer.

After missing last season due to a knee injury, the 29-year-old remained a free agent for most of the 2020 NFL offseason. Between rehabbing the injury and joining a team late in training camp, Miller was already going to be behind his teammates wherever he ended up.

With the Patriots, however, there’s a level of familiarity for this Pro Bowl running back. For one, after playing for Miami and [...]

For Lamar Miller, the decision to sign with the Patriots was a no brainer.

After missing last season due to a knee injury, the 29-year-old remained a free agent for most of the 2020 NFL offseason. Between rehabbing the injury and joining a team late in training camp, Miller was already going to be behind his teammates wherever he ended up.

With the Patriots, however, there’s a level of familiarity for this Pro Bowl running back. For one, after playing for Miami and Houston, Miller grew accustomed to playing against the Patriots and seeing them win. After playing for former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in Houston, he also had a general idea of how the team’s offense operated. On top of that, Miller has been training with James White since 2014 and knew Sony Michel when the younger back was in high school.

Overall, it was an easy decision for Miller to join the Patriots on Aug. 13. Now, the back is hoping to show his new team that he can help them this season.

"I just felt like it was a great organization," Miller said on Tuesday. "I’ve been playing them every year since I’ve been with the other teams I played at. I just know they’re a winning organization. Bill O’Brien, he came from the Patriots so the offense was pretty much similar. I just felt like coming in late in training camp would carry over to just coming here. It’s a winning organization, so that’s why I came here."

Out of all the running backs on the Patriots, Miller has the best resume.

A fourth-round pick in 2012, Miller developed into a starting-caliber running back by his second NFL season. Between 2013 and 2017, Miller rushed for over 700 yards every year. With the Dolphins, he rushed for career-high 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns in 2014. He also scored 19 total touchdowns in his final two seasons in Miami before joining the Texans.

In Houston, Miller rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2016 and made his first Pro Bowl in 2018 when he totaled 973 rushing yards to go with six total touchdowns. Between his time in the AFC East and in Houston, he also became very familiar with the Patriots. In seven seasons, Miller played against the Pats 11 times in the regular season and once in the playoffs.

"You just knew when you played the Patriots, you always have to come with your ‘A game,’" Miller said. "You knew what type of team that you’re facing. You know what type of coach that you’re facing. So just knowing that coming into Patriots week, whether it’s home or away, they’re always bringing their A game. Now just being here, seeing how they run things, you can tell how they run things and why you always had to be prepared."

Miller started camp on the physically unable to perform list. He still had to rehab his knee and get into playing shape before he could practice. The back missed all 12 days of training camp, but was back on the field Monday. He said a big difference for him in New England has been how seriously the Patriots staff takes player conditioning. Miller said he’s never had to run as much as he has this summer with the Patriots and it’s very clear that that staff wants their players in the best shape possible.

On the field, Miller has little time to catch up. The NFL’s cut-down day is on Saturday and the Patriots will trim their roster from 80-to-53 players. Miller will have somewhere around four or five practices to show his coaches that he’s worth a roster spot.

At the moment, the Patriots have four roster spots at running back with James White, Rex Burkhead, Sony Michel and Damien Miller. Last season, they kept five running backs. Considering Michel is still working his way back from offseason foot surgery, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team wanted extra depth after Brandon Bolden opted out.

Physically, Miller says he feels good and is trying to shake the rust off at practice. He hopes to show that he has the ability to help the Patriots win.

"I’m just trying to go out there and show that I’m dependable," Miller said. "A guy that can do my job an make plays when my number is called."

mdaniels@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @MarkDanielsPJ