The Patriots just inked undrafted running back Myles Montgomery to a deal with record-breaking guarantees for a UDFA at the position. That's an aggressive swing for a team that already has a crowded backfield. Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel are either seeing something special, or they're gambling hard on upside.
Here's what matters: Montgomery is competing against Rhamondre Stevenson, Elijah Mitchell, TreVeyon Henderson, and a deep roster of depth pieces for carries. That's a brutal situation for any undrafted guy, no matter the contract size. The Patriots usually don't hand out premium guarantees to UDFAs without a reason—either film that jumps off the screen, or a position of unexpected need. Neither seems obvious right now.
But Wolf has shown he's willing to deviate from the Patriots' traditional template. Twelve undrafted rookies in the first wave of signings is volume work, and Montgomery apparently won that lottery ticket. The "record-breaking" label suggests real money hit his bank account. That confidence has to mean something. Maybe his tape is cleaner than the typical UDFA back. Maybe he's a pass-game weapon they value in this scheme. Maybe he showed out at rookie camp in Foxborough.
The risk is real, though. Guarantees to unproven talent rarely age well unless the player develops fast. In a running back room this deep, Montgomery needs to be special just to get meaningful snaps as a rookie. The Patriots aren't running out there to give him 12 carries a game. He's got to win it.
It's a head-scratcher on the surface, but Wolf's track record suggests it's calculated. We'll find out soon enough if this record-breaking commitment looks prescient or puzzling.