Who Should I Start? Ke'Shawn Vaughn or Jordan Mason

Tuesday, December 19, 12:25 AM

The New England Patriots are expected to sign free-agent running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn to their practice squad. With Rachaad White accumulating 108.1 scrimmage yards per game with seven total touchdowns since Week 7, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived the expendable Vaughn on Friday. The Bucs spent a third-round pick on Vaughn in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the tailback never quite made much noise during his Tampa Bay career. The 26-year-old rushed 103 times for 384 yards (3.7 yards per carry) with 14 receptions for 81 yards and three lifetime scores in 43 games. Vaughn is set to serve as backfield depth for the Pats, who let go of Ty Montgomery last week and are currently missing lead back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) to an ankle sprain. Ezekiel Elliott would still handle an every-down role if Stevenson remains out on Christmas Eve against the Denver Broncos.

Monday, January 8, 1:46 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason had the opportunity for a big workload in a Week 18 regular season finale against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in a game in which the Niners were resting plenty of players with a first-round bye in the playoffs already locked up. However, Elijah Mitchell led the team with 14 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown, while Mason had only six rushing attempts and gained 36 yards on the ground. He added one catch for a 12-yard pickup. Mason wraps up his second regular season in the NFL with 40 rushing attempts for 206 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games, adding three receptions for 31 yards. The 24-year-old mostly played special teams in 2023 while serving as the No. 3 behind Christian McCaffrey and Mitchell, which will likely continue when the team resumes play in the Divisional Round in two weeks.