They trust him to provide breakaway speed out of the backfield, but the New England Patriots still need to be convinced by TreVeyon Henderson in other areas. The second-year running back is challenged to change the Pats’ minds about their plans for a key position.
Henderson is facing the question of whether or not he can “be the bell-cow back” in New England. That’s according to Jared Dubin of CBS Sports, who believes Rhamondre Stevenson is still the team’s go-to back in clutch situations.
As Dubin put it, “Henderson had an incredible midseason run as the featured back while Rhamondre Stevenson was out with an injury, but once Stevenson returned, the Pats still showed a preference for the older, bigger back in most situations.”
Changing minds about who should be the hot hand for all three downs will require Henderson proving “he can hold up as a pass protector so that he can get on the field more often, rack up more carries and hopefully, more explosive runs,” per Dubin.
It’s a tall order, but well within reach of the talented second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Perhaps the bigger question is whether the Patriots would be best served diluting their one-two rushing punch.
TreVeyon Henderson Has Point to Prove
Henderson’s ability to cover most of the field in an instant made him one of the key weapons on an offense that performed above expectations last season. His 52-yard touchdown run against AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills in December showcased the sudden-strike capability Henderson brings to the Patriots’ rushing attack.
A talent for flipping the field in a hurry is an obvious asset for any offense, but Henderson still needs to prove he can move the chains between the tackles as well as Stevenson. That won’t be easy when Henderson is 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds, so not as adept at moving the pile as 6-foot, 227-pounder Stevenson.
One area where Henderson has Stevenson beat is ball security. The more established back lost three fumbles last season, forcing head coach Mike Vrabel to defend the use plan for Stevenson.
Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels still had no problem trusting Stevenson to stay on the field in vital moments alongside star quarterback Drake Maye. It means Henderson is unlikely to supplant the veteran any time soon.
That doesn’t need to be a problem for the Patriots, who should maintain a thunder and lightning, ground-based combo to support Maye. The more pressing need for McDaniels and his staff is identifying a viable third back from a group of intriguing candidates.
Patriots Seeking Dynamic Third Running Back
There’s no shortage of competitors for the battle to fill out the depth chart behind Henderson and Stevenson. One to keep an eye on is rookie free agent Myles Montgomery, who “had the richest guaranteed contract of the Patriots’ initial 12-member undrafted free agent class at $272,500. That reflects how the Patriots had competition from others to sign Montgomery, who was timed at 4.44 in the 40-yard dash in the predraft process,” according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Montgomery knows there’s an “opportunity to compete for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison and Jam Miller,” per Reiss.
Each back has his merits, including this year’s seventh-round pick Miller, who already believes he can contribute in multiple ways. Jennings is a power-style runner Vrabel counts on Jennings to run down the clock, while Larison has been compared to a Patriots Super Bowl winner.
It shouldn’t be difficult finding credible supporting runners, but the pecking order at the starting level doesn’t need to change, despite Henderson’s exciting upside.
TreVeyon Henderson Urged to Change Patriots Plan for Key Role