Considerable optimism about the Patriots’ rushing attack existed entering the season, as second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson impressed consistently during the summer. But the Pats’ bounce-back start to the season has brought ground-game concerns.
New England leads the AFC East for the first time since December 2021, sitting 4-2 with a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bills. But the Pats’ rushing attack ranks 26th, increasing Drake Maye‘s degree of difficulty in what has been a promising start to his sophomore season. The Henderson-Rhamondre Stevenson tandem has not found much success, with the latter’s fumbling issues a hindrance for a second straight season.
Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected metric ranks both players in the bottom quartile among qualified RBs. This comes as Pro Football Focus ranks New England’s offensive line ninth through six games. Some buzz about the Pats being RB-curious ahead of the trade deadline has emerged, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicating teams have a buyer’s move here on the radar.
Unlike last season, the Pats have not disciplined Stevenson for his fumbling issue. He bounced back from another giveaway to score twice in the Pats’ upset win over the Bills and leads the team with 157 rushing yards. Henderson is not far behind, at 148, with the two respectively logging 51 and 41 carries. Though, Stevenson has averaged a paltry 3.1 yards per rush; Henderson is at 3.6. The Patriots lost Antonio Gibson to a season-ending ACL tear in Buffalo.
One of the top RB trade chips, Breece Hall, is highly unlikely to be dealt within the AFC East. Another option, Alvin Kamara, has said he would contemplate retirement if traded out of New Orleans. Kamara being stuck on a rebuilding team does not seem to be an issue for a player who has signed two Saints extensions; his current deal (two years, $24.5MM) runs through 2026. Next year, though, does not include any guaranteed money. The Saints also have Kendre Miller as a successor, in the event Kamara is moved.
Would the Titans consider moving starter Tony Pollard as their rebuild takes shape post-Brian Callahan? Tennessee has been mentioned as a prepared seller, while Fowler colleague Dan Graziano predicts the Browns will trade Jerome Ford due to the arrivals of Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson in the draft. Ford is tied to a one-year, $1.75MM deal, though he would not be a clear upgrade over the Pats’ current coalition. Stevenson’s contract runs through 2028, and a $3.25MM guarantee is in place for 2026.
The Chargers and Chiefs have also surfaced as teams to watch for a running back move. Cap space is not an issue for the Pats, who hold an NFL-most $54.7MM (per OverTheCap) ahead of Week 7. They have nearly three weeks to further evaluate this situation, with this year’s deadline looming Nov. 4.