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It’s safe to say that things need to change for the New England Patriots on offense, as they ranked at or near the bottom in major offensive categories in 2024. Having played from behind often last season, their offense became too one-sided, resulting in their lopsided stats and record.
While quarterback Drake Maye showed plenty of promise, the offense struggled across the board. It was the rushing game that slowed things down for New England. Rhamondre Stevenson had a career-worst seven fumbles on his way to his worst yards per carry average (3.87) in his career, paving the way for the Patriots to draft Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson in the 2025 NFL Draft.
A failed long-term investment in Rhamondre Stevenson
Buyer's remorse is likely a frequent term being thrown around by the New England front office after inking Stevenson to a four-year extension in June 2024. Coming off a season where he was only healthy for 12 games, Stevenson didn’t look like the future at running back for the Patriots, and yet the team still handed him a long-term deal.
Flash forward to this offseason, and it is clear that both Stevenson and Henderson will have roles in the running game in 2025. The ball-security issues likely will weigh heavily on Stevenson’s workload, so as long as Henderson can hold onto the ball, he should earn a leg up in the backfield race.
Henderson is the smaller of the two backs, as he is shorter and far slimmer than Stevenson, but you couldn’t tell that from watching game film. The former Buckeye is a physical runner who seeks out contact when meeting defenders. That style of play should excite head coach Mike Vrabel, as he looks to return the franchise to being a physical presence in the AFC East.
High expectations for TreVeyon Henderson in 2025
Maye is an obvious breakout candidate, as he is entering his second season and needs to build off of an up-and-down rookie campaign. But Henderson can actually unlock another element of this offense, especially considering how maligned the receiver group remains.
Even with the likely combo of Henderson and Stevenson being rolled out to start the year, it would be a surprise not to see the former take over more of the workload as the season progresses. The Patriots didn’t use a second-round selection on a backup running back, so he will likely see the field early on.
In his time at Ohio State, Henderson teamed up with fellow rookie back Quinshon Judkins in the Buckeye backfield, with Henderson averaging over seven yards per carry on his way to rushing for over 1,000 yards. His collegiate productions shouldn't be pushed aside, as he showed he was capable of holding down a large workload in both areas of the offense.
Outside of Las Vegas Raiders star rookie Ashton Jeanty, Henderson might have the most talent back from this incoming rookie class. Seldom mentioned in the same group as Jeanty and Los Angeles Chargers rookie Omarion Hampton talent-wise, Henderson enters the NFL as one of the best receiving backs in his class, which will help him earn early snaps.
The Patiots' offensive success relies on Henderson
When looking at the Patriots' offensive depth chart for the 2025 NFL season, the receiver group fails to inspire a ton of confidence. Outside of adding Stefon Diggs, it is mostly the same group that struggled last season. Plus, considering they will likely be playing from behind in many of their contests this coming season, this will again put an even heavier responsibility on the shoulders of Maye.
In order to more evenly distribute the offensive workload, the running back room needs to step up. Stevenson took a massive step backward in his ability to be the main guy last year, so in steps Henderson with a golden opportunity to become that guy. While his rushing workload might be a bit tough to predict on a weekly basis, he should see enough of a consistent workload catching passes that will help him earn the trust of the coaching staff.
Drake Maye to Rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson.
–#patriots #newenglandpatriots #drakemaye pic.twitter.com/4R8gvXu6DD— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) July 26, 2025
Early takeaways from training camp show that Henderson is already making his presence felt, especially in the passing game. If Stevenson’s receiving workload is any sign of what can be expected for Henderson, a 35-40 reception season will help unlock this offense. With offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels back in town, expect the running back usage in the passing game to only go up.
Every team treats rookies differently, especially those who play offensive skill positions. By all accounts, Vrabel is old school when it comes to roster decisions, so Henderson won’t be handed anything but a jersey with his name on the back of it. But the Patriots coaching staff obviously loves what he brings to the roster, and he is the key to unlocking the next level for this offense.
