The New England Patriots finally have an opportunity for a breather after a hectic start to the NFL offseason. This past week saw the Patriots navigate their organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp following Mike Vrabel's first draft and free agency as head coach, leaving everyone about five weeks to prepare for next month's training camp.
Even though there's a temporary lull in action, the Patriots still have time to shake up their roster between now and training camp. Vrabel & Co. already have a good idea of how the roster is shaping up and could use the next few weeks as an opportunity to replace certain underperformers with hungry veterans looking to prove themselves.
With that in mind, it wouldn't be surprising to learn if one certain Patriots veteran is one of the names already on the chopping block post-OTAs.
Patriots RB Antonio Gibson Quietly on Chopping Block After OTAs
Looking to bolster their backfield last offseason, the Patriots signed veteran running back Antonio Gibson to a three-year, $11.25 million contract.
The former 2020 third-round selection had tallied 2,643 rushing yards on 642 carries and 1,283 receiving yards on 172 catches — all while scoring 29 touchdowns — in 61 games with the Washington Commanders. With such a resume, New England hoped he would serve as a reliable co-backfield partner to Rhamondre Stevenson.
When all was said and done, Gibson finished with 538 rushing yards and 206 receiving yards in 17 games (3 starts). His 4.5 yards per carry marked his best performance since his rookie campaign (4.7); however, the 26-year-old runner left fans underwhelmed with an abysmal TD total of one.
The Gibson-Stevenson backfield didn't work as planned, leading to the Patriots shaking things up this spring. With the 38th overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft, New England selected three-time All-Big Ten running back TreVeyon Henderson out of Ohio State.
The exciting RB prospect amassed 4,614 scrimmage yards and 48 TDs throughout his productive Buckeyes run and hasn't wasted any time turning Patriots coaches' heads this offseason.
A Stevenson-Henderson tandem has more upside than running things back would, and keeping Gibson around would be redundant at that point. The Patriots would create over $2.3 million in savings by releasing him or $3.5 million with a trade, according to Spotrac, which can be repurposed to address more glaring needs.
Gibson might not get cut before training camp, but the writing is clearly on the wall if he doesn't step up. Failing to prove his value to the Patriots could see Gibson sent packing before the preseason and the 2025 regular season begins.