The New England Patriots were firing on all cylinders in Sunday's 42-13 blowout win over the Carolina Panthers. It was exactly the type of performance that head coach Mike Vrabel & Co. needed to get certain players back on track, especially Rhamondre Stevenson after the veteran running back fumbled twice in Week 3's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While he didn't lose possession of the ball this weekend, Stevenson had a forgettable performance at Gillette Stadium. He tallied only 38 rushing yards on nine carries while also hauling in a three-yard reception, which isn't the type of performance expected from someone playing in the first year of his four-year, $36 million contract extension.
Rhamondre Stevenson's Future with Patriots Suffers a Blow After Week 4
Averaging 4.2 yards per carry is hardly bad, but the fact that Stevenson only saw nine attempts suggests that the Patriots still don't fully trust him. That's further proven by fellow New England RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Antonio Gibson finishing Sunday with seven and six carries, respectively.
Stevenson's outlook is further hurt by his being the only name out of the backfield who didn't hit pay dirt on Sunday afternoon. Henderson and quarterback Drake Maye each ran for five-yard touchdowns in the second quarter while Gibson added a goal-line score with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. No matter how you slice it, that isn't a good look for the mistake-prone RB.
Now that Gibson and Henderson have had their best performances of the season, Vrabel and his staff might feel more comfortable expanding their respective workloads. The Patriots' duo also averaged more yards per carry (4.6 and 4.5) than Stevenson, illustrating that they know how to maximize their opportunities.
Time will tell if Week 4 will bring Stevenson closer to the end of his time in New England. He wasn't one of Vrabel's draft picks, so there isn't an unbreakable connection there. Besides, Henderson is set up to be the RB of the future, opening the door for the Patriots to move on from their current situation.
Having said that, a pre-deadline trade would only yield $3.6 million in salary cap savings, according to Spotrac. That number will increase to $6 million after June 1, 2026, meaning the Pats likely won't move on from Stevenson until next summer at the earliest unless a potential trade return is too good to turn down.
In the meantime, Patriots fans will continue to monitor all backfield developments with a close eye. Henderson and Gibson's stock is on the rise after a solid showing, leaving Stevenson looking to steal back some thunder when the Pats visit the Buffalo Bills for Sunday Night Football in Week 5.