It would be understandable if LeGarrette Blount wasn't thrilled with the Patriots right now.
They chose to bring aboard running backs Mike Gillislee (restricted free agent) and Rex Burkhead (unrestricted free agent) this offseason while Blount lingered on the open market. Then they issued to Blount the rare May 9 tender, which could have soured teams on the idea of signing him if they were concerned about losing a compensatory draft pick.
Still, Blount had nothing but good things to say about the Patriots during his introductory press conference in Philadelphia. He signed a one-year deal with the Eagles on Wednesday.
"I felt like this was a perfect fit for me," Blount said of Philly. "I've done everything that I wanted to do. I won two Super Bowls with [the Patriots], and I don't regret a single second being there becasuse I loved it there. They have [had] some of the best years of football that you could ever remember . . . I'm happy that I was a part of a few of those."
Blount joins a stable of backs in Philadelphia that includes smaller runners like Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood and rookie Donnel Pumphrey. If the team is looking for a between-the-tackles hammer, Blount looks like their best option.
The Patriots applied the May 9 tender to Blount (1,161 yards and a Patriots record 18 touchdowns on 299 carries in 2016) last week, but the 6-foot, 250-pound back did not sign. By issuing the tender, the Patriots retained the ability to have Blount benefit their compensatory pick formula in 2018 if he signed elsewhere. It also guaranteed that he would count against the compensatory pick formula for any team that picked him up. Because the Eagles aren't expected to receive a compensatory pick this year, there was no risk in that regard.
"I chose the Eagles for the specific reason of me fitting in really good here," Blount said. "The chance of making the team, having a championship run, having a better season, and they're a relly good team. They were a really good team beore I came . . . I just want to fit in there somehwere."