Well, the Patriots have finally made their first move of the 2011 post-lockout free agency period. According to the twitter account for his agent, Sammy Morris has resigned with the Patriots on a one year deal.
Morris' agent, Mark Slough, said that he was "excited to say that Patriots RB Sammy Morris will be back with the Club," and that the the two sides "have agreed to terms on a one year deal this afternoon."
While this may come as surprising move to some, I consider it a shrewd move on the part of the Patriots. While Morris is 34 years old and his best days are behind him, he is still a versatile player whose impact shows up in multiple facets of the game. I don't think anyone will forget the block he laid out against the Dolphin's on Brandon Tate's kick return touchdown in week four against the Dolphins. Last year, Morris also contributed as a situational fullback and as a running back.
A solid all-around player, Morris should compete for a roster spot this training camp.
And I know that a lot of people are thinking "well, if the team brought back Sammy Morris, then they probably won't bring back Kevin Faulk." I don't believe this to be true. Sammy Morris, at this point, isn't a lock to make the roster. I still expect the Patriots to bring back Faulk on a one year deal and allow him to compete for a roster spot in training camp.