The New England Patriots welcomed the return of running back Rhamondre Stevenson on Sunday after he missed the last three games due to a toe injury. Although Stevenson was the team’s primary ball-carrier before going down with the injury, the Patriots gave the majority of the workload to rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who recorded 18 carries for 66 yards and three receptions for 15 yards in the team’s 26-20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Meanwhile, Stevenson was ineffective in limited snaps, recording just six carries for five yards and one reception for five yards. He had two opportunities to come away with a touchdown when the team was on the Bengals’ one-yard line in the third quarter, but came up short.
With Henderson continuing to provide the Patriots with viable production in the backfield, while Stevenson fails to stand out, it’s evident that Henderson is the Patriots' lead back moving forward.
TreVeyon Henderson is Officially the Patriots’ RB1
In Henderson’s limited time as the Patriots’ primary ball-carrier, he has outplayed Stevenson. Henderson has combined for more rushing yards (330) and touchdowns (4) in the last four games than Stevenson has all season.
During this stretch, Henderson has been a valuable contributor to the Patriots' offense, averaging 82.5 rushing yards and 5.1 yards per carry. His explosiveness, combined with his ability to serve as a three-down back, has done wonders for the Patriots' offense, as it’s made opposing defenses respect their rushing attack.
This season, Stevenson never looked as good or confident running the ball as Henderson. At times, it appears that Stevenson is hesitant to make contact and is primarily focused on protecting the ball rather than maximizing the potential yards. This makes sense considering fumbling issues have once again plagued Stevenson’s season, as he’s coughed up three fumbles this season and 10 since 2024.
The fumbling issues have played a part in his underwhelming season, as Stevenson is averaging just 31.5 rushing yards per game and just 3.2 yards per carry. While Stevenson played a crucial part in the team’s wins against the Miami Dolphins and the Tennessee Titans, he hasn’t looked anywhere close to the player he was in 2022.
If the Patriots want to move on from Stevenson in the offseason, they have options, according to Spotrac.
Transaction | Dead Cap Hit | 2026 Salary Cap Savings |
|---|---|---|
Pre-June 1 Cut | $8,050,000 | $-450,000 |
Pre-June 1 Trade | $4,800,000 | $2,800,000 |
Post-June 1 Cut | $4,850,000 | $2,750,000 |
Post-June 1 Trade | $1,600,000 | $6,000,000 |
A post-June 1 divorce makes the most sense for the Pats, whether that's via trade or release. Still, that's about seven months for happening, meaning New England is stuck for the time being.
Even though Stevenson has been disappointing, the Patriots shouldn’t cut his playing time entirely. The Patriots need all the depth and production they can get at the position, as they ranked 19th in rushing (112.4) after Sunday's effort. With Stevenson back, the Patriots can utilize his bruising back ability in goal-line situations, which they didn’t have in his absence.
Regardless, Henderson has demonstrated that he deserves the bulk of the carries, and the Patriots must continue to feed him even if it's at Stevenson's expense.