Insider: Mike Vrabel’s Running Backs Plan May ‘Change In A Hurry’

Half of Rhamondre Stevenson’s 14 career fumbles came during the 2024 season, when he recorded a career-high seven.

Amid the running back’s ball security concerns and rookie second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson’s hot training camp, Chad Graff of The Athletic wrote on Tuesday that the New England Patriots’ rushing attack plans are up in the air.

Ahead of the Patriots’ joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings, Graff looked at “what we know” about the team thus far and “what we still don’t know.” He said that we know that Henderson is a “big-play machine,” but we don’t know “how many snaps he’ll actually get.”

“A team that has had such little explosiveness on offense finally has a player who can break through for a big gain even when everything else feels stuck in the mud. That should make a big difference this season and might make Henderson the most exciting player to watch on offense,” Graff wrote.

The insider added that he’s “confident at this point that Henderson will get half of the running back snaps this season” and even though head coach Mike Vrabel has “publicly backed” Stevenson and “seems inclined to at least try out a running back committee,” things may change.

“But if Henderson keeps playing like this (and if Stevenson’s ball security continues to be an issue), that could change in a hurry,” Graff wrote.

Henderson starred in New England’s preseason victory against the Washington Commanders on Friday, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown and recording four touches for 30 yards. Stevenson, meanwhile, had a team-high 36 rushing yards on seven carries.

Henderson has earned the praise of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels among many others and was recently predicted to earn a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2025.

The Patriots next preseason game is Saturday afternoon against the Vikings.