Through two weeks, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson hasn’t delivered the coming-out performance some expected when the New England Patriots drafted him in the second round.
It’s far too early to panic about his long-term future in New England, but Mike Vrabel made it clear where Henderson must improve if he wants to be featured in the offense more: pass protection.
Coupled with Rhamondre Stevenson’s stellar performance in Week 2, Henderson has ground to make up before the coaching staff is ready to unleash him fully.
"Welcome to the NFL" Moment for Patriots Rookie
Every rookie’s “welcome to the league” moment looks different. For many, it comes by taking a big hit.
Henderson, though, is usually the one delivering those blows. Instead, his early wake-up call has been adjusting to just how fast and powerful NFL pass rushers are.
In the second quarter against Miami, Henderson allowed a sack and picked up a holding penalty on back-to-back plays. In both instances, he was punished for pursuing too far upfield and was discarded quickly. On the Patriots’ opening drive of the third quarter, he adjusted by taking a better angle to meet a blitzing linebacker, but his feet stalled on contact, and he was beaten clean to the outside.
Even for a player who faced Big Ten defenses, nothing at the college level fully replicates the speed of NFL pressure. Following his second allowed sack, Henderson saw just two touches the rest of the game.
Henderson is an excellent athlete himself with a blend of speed and power. And for a player who longtime NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah once called “one of the best pass-protecting running backs I’ve ever seen” during the pre-draft process, there’s reason to believe he’ll improve.
But for now, he has clear growing pains to work through before he’s trusted with a greater role.
Versatility Is Key
In Week 2, the highlight of New England’s afternoon came in the third quarter when Drake Maye stepped up through pressure and dropped a dime to Stevenson on a wheel route, resulting in a 55-yard gain.
During an interview with WEEI on Monday, Vrabel hinted that the play was initially designed for Henderson.
“We had a similar play this week in practice, but it was with TreVeyon,” Vrabel said. Then came the message: “We can’t let negative plays snowball on us”.
Henderson had already flashed on a similar play, hauling in a 15-yard wheel route in the second quarter. But Stevenson’s explosion exemplified the additional opportunities that come when a running back can do it all.
Stevenson checked every box in Week 2. He ran through contact, held his own in pass protection, and displayed receiving ability that was absent from his game last season. Beyond the 55-yarder, he also converted a third-and-long in the fourth quarter by making a defender miss and grinding out a first down on a screen.
It was the full skill set that inspired New England to make him one of the league’s six highest-paid running backs last offseason. For Henderson, Stevenson’s performance is both competition and a model to follow.
Sharing the Load
Henderson’s role doesn’t have to be about carrying the entire backfield. In fact, his most impactful season came last year at Ohio State, when he split touches with Quinshon Judkins and averaged a career-best 7.6 yards per touch en route to a national championship.
That experience makes him well-suited for New England’s current setup. Between Henderson, Stevenson, and Antonio Gibson, the Patriots have one of the deepest running back rooms in the league.
The challenge for Henderson is making sure his weaknesses don’t overshadow his strengths. If he can steady his pass protection, he’ll give New England three distinct weapons to rotate and maximize.
Henderson’s Rookie Ranks
Despite the underwhelming start, Henderson isn’t drastically behind the rest of his rookie class. Through two weeks, no first-year running back has cracked 100 rushing yards.
Henderson’s snap count dipped from 25 in Week 1 to just 19 in Week 2, per Pro Football Reference. In total, his 44 snaps are good for just 34% of New England’s offensive plays.
While it doesn’t feel like a lot given the preseason expectations, he’s actually ahead of his second-round counterparts. His former Ohio State teammate Judkins logged only 20 snaps in his Week 2 debut with Cleveland, while Denver’s RJ Harvey has totaled 41 across two contests.
But the contrast is clear compared to the first-round backs Henderson was grouped with entering the season. Las Vegas’ Ashton Jeanty has already logged 93 offensive snaps (70%), and Los Angeles’ Omarion Hampton has been on the field for 88 (72%).
For Henderson, the takeaway isn’t about matching Jeanty or Hampton’s volume. It’s about proving he can handle the details that keep him on the field. If he does, his explosiveness in a shared backfield could add a dynamic element to the Patriots, making him a threat as both a runner and receiver.
No Time to Panic
Henderson’s early hurdles may have slowed his start, but they don’t erase the upside he brings.
He has the tools to be a true dual threat out of the backfield—the speed to hit home runs, the power to finish runs, and the hands to contribute as a receiver. Once he steadies his pass protection, he has every chance to grow into an every-down weapon.
The Patriots didn’t draft him in the second round for nothing.
The breakout hasn’t come yet, but the door is wide open. Now it’s up to Henderson to step through it.