Rob Gronkowski, LeGarrette Blount

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, left, congratulates running back LeGarrette Blount on his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(Elise Amendola)

As NFL GMs and coaches watched the insanity that was Super Bowl LI, as they pondered the roster construction of both the Patriots and Falcons, this much must have been obvious.

The running backs on the field were difference makers. James White, Devonta Freeman, and Tevin Coleman combined for a whopping 295 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 43 touches.

All three backs were playing under their rookie contracts, all collecting base salaries of $600,000 or less in the 2016 season. All three were drafted between the third and fourth round, where teams can find excellent immediate production at an affordable price.

This was not lost on NFL teams at the draft this past weekend. Fifteen teams selected running backs within the top four rounds. Nine other teams took running backs in Rounds 5-7.

These players, inevitably, will take roster spots from veterans this season. Why pay more for an older, worn down player on a short-term contract when you can receive the same production -- or maybe even better production -- for a player who will be inexpensive for four seasons?

It's a no-brainer.

This is the problem facing former Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount, who despite leading the league with 18 rushing touchdowns a year ago finds himself unemployed today.

There does not appear to be room for Blount on the Patriots roster, not after the team acquired Mike Gillislee and Rex Burkhead in free agency. Blount and the Giants had mutual interest prior to the draft, but New York spent a fourth-round pick on 215-pound running back Wayne Gallman.

The full list of running backs selected this past weekend:

Cardinals (TJ Logan, 5th)

Falcons (Brian Hill, 5th)

Panthers (Christian McCaffrey, 1st)

Bears (Tarik Cohen, 4th)

Bengals (Joe Mixon, 2nd)

Browns (Matthew Dayes, 7th)

Broncos (DeAngelo Henderson, 6th)

Packers (Jamaal Williams, 4th; Aaron Jones, 5th; Devante Mays, 7th)

Texans (D'Onta Foreman, 3rd)

Colts (Marlon Mack, 4th)

Jaguars (Leonard Fournette, 1st)

Chiefs (Kareem Hunt, 3rd)

Vikings (Dalvin Cook, 2nd)

Saints (Alvin Kamara, 3rd)

Giants (Wayne Gallman, 4th)

Jets (Elijah McGuire, 6th)

Raiders (Elijah Hood, 7th)

Eagles (Donnel Pumphrey, 4th)

Steelers (James Conner, 3rd)

Niners (Joe Williams, 4th)

Seahawks (Christopher Carson, 7th)

Bucs (Jeremy McNichols, 5th)

Titans (Khalfani Muhammed, 7th)

Redskins (Samaje Perine, 4th)

So which teams could still be a fit for Blount?

LIONS: One of the eight teams that did not draft a running back. The Lions have two small, shifty backs in Ameer Abdullah (who has been prone to injuries) and pass-catching extraordinaire Theo Riddick. Dwayne Washington and Zach Zenner are the team's big backs. Neither impressed in 2016.

The Bob Quinn connection here could help Blount. Quinn worked under Bill Belichick for more than a decade before taking over as the Detroit general manager.

GIANTS: The Gallman pick does not bode well for Blount. The Giants also have Paul Perkins (2016 fifth-round pick) and third-down back Shane Vereen in the mix. Blount could still be an option if the Giants prefer him to Gallman in goal line and short-yardage situations.

PACKERS: Perhaps Blount will follow former teammate Martellus Bennett to Green Bay. The Packers drafted three running backs, including Jamaal Williams in the fourth round, this past weekend. If the Packers are playing a numbers game, though, they could take a flier on Blount and let him compete with their young backfield.

CHARGERS: There's not much behind Melvin Gordon. In the event of a Gordon injury, the Chargers would have to turn to Andre Williams, Kenneth Farrow, Ronnie Hillman, Kenjon Barner, and/or Branden Oliver. They lost Danny Woodhead in free agency and did not add a back in the draft.

CARDINALS: David Johnson is one of the league's best backs, without question. Behind him, Arizona has the 199-pound Andre Ellington. They could use a bigger between-the-tackles option should Johnson suffer an injury.

BILLS: After losing Mike Gillislee to the Pats, the Bills are likely looking to add another layer of depth to the backfield behind LeSean McCoy. Second-year pro Jonathan Williams is penciled in as the No. 2 right now. Not sure if Blount fits Buffalo's system, but he'd be an interesting complement to McCoy.