The New England Patriots appear poised for an interesting decision this week with the news that Rhamondre Stevenson is expected back in the lineup. This news comes via ESPN's Mike Reiss, who noted that Stevenson is expected to return barring a setback. This presents a difficult decision for head coach Mike Vrabel, who has a well-known reputation for wanting to support his veteran players. However, it is impossible to ignore TreVeyon Henderson, as the rookie who is finally starting to live up to expectations.
Scoring three touchdowns against the Jets a week after totaling 147 rushing yards against the Tampa Bay Bucs is simply far too glaring a statement to ignore. Henderson now has 492 rushing yards on the season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry with 5 rushing touchdowns. All of this adds up to the fact that Vrabel has to see the writing on the wall and be willing to move on from Stevenson.
This doesn't mean you can't use the veteran; rather, that the focus must remain on continuing to get Henderson touches and mixing in his explosive ability with Drake Maye. Stevenson is a punishing runner who offers you little explosive upside, making it beyond clear the decision that Vrabel must make.
Patriots' Mike Vrabel Must Make Obvious Decision Benching Stevenson
Henderson flat-out offers you so much more as both a runner and in the passing game, giving Maye yet another important weapon. So much of New England's offensive success over the last two weeks has been built around the explosive distraction that Henderson is providing. Taking this out of the starting lineup would be pushing the unit in the wrong direction and isn't a mistake that Vrabel can afford to make.
As great as the Pats have been throughout the 2025 season, you still have to finish the division race with the Buffalo Bills continuing to loom. The Patriots will face the Bills and the Baltimore Ravens in back-to-back weeks toward the end of the season in what could be incredibly vital games to playoff positioning for the perennial contenders.
With this in mind, the New England offense must remain as explosive as possible, and the obvious path to this is keeping the talented rookie in the lineup. This doesn't mean that Stevenson can't still be an important piece as a short-yardage weapon and change-of-pace runner.
The focus isn't ruling the veteran out, but having him take a backseat with Vrabel understanding how important Henderson is becoming to this offense. You cannot afford to shake things based on the fact that Stevenson has the more impressive resume. The head coach must stay grounded in what the current offense is telling him, and that is beyond clear. This means Henderson is best served staying in the starting lineup and getting the bulk of the snaps.