Previewing the Patriots running back heading into his second NFL season.
Even though only one member of the New England Patriots’ undrafted rookie class made the opening day roster in 2024 — safety Dell Pettus — the team did get contributions out of others as well. Among them was running back Terrell Jennings.
Hard facts
Name: Terrell Jennings
Position: Running back
Jersey number: 26
Opening day age: 24 (3/1/2001)
Measurements: 5’11 3/4”, 217 lbs, 73 3/4” wingspan, 31 5/8” arm length, 10 1/8” hand size, 4.66s 40-yard dash, 7.72s 3-cone drill, 4.61s short shuttle, 35” vertical jump, 9’10” broad jump, 16 bench press reps, 4.82 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: New England Patriots (2024-) | College: Florida A&M (2019-23)
A teammate of Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, FL, Jennings was originally set to join Western Kentucky as a two-star recruit. However, he eventually decommitted during his senior season to join Florida A&M instead.
In five seasons with the Rattlers, Jennings became one of the most prolific running backs in school history. Appearing in 45 games, he carried the ball 381 times for 1,754 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also added 19 receptions for 163 yards and another TD.
While his college production was solid, Jennings did not hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft. He joined the Patriots as a rookie free agent and appeared in three games while spending time on the practice squad and active roster.
Scouting report
Strengths: Standing at just under 6 feet and 217 pounds, Jennings is a condensed athlete who offers a low center of gravity and is able to make himself small through holes. In general, he is attacking gaps with a purpose and has the power, active feet and contact balance to fight through initial contact; he also has the vision to find creases in the defense. In addition, he is not afraid of getting his hands dirty as a pass protector and identifies his assignments well and without hesitation.
Weaknesses: Jennings is not the most naturally-gifted athlete, and has only average straight-line speed, acceleration and quickness. He won’t regularly step out of tackle attempts or run away from defenders in the open field (0 missed tackles forced in 2024). He also is not particularly suited to work laterally (e.g. on wide zone) or in space, while his potential as a receiver either split out wide or in the screen game is also limited.
2024 review
Stats: 3 games (0 starts) | 38 offensive snaps (3.5%), 18 special teams snaps (4.1%) | 13 carries, 33 yards (2.5 yards/carry) | 2 targets, 0 catches | 0 pressures surrendered
Season recap: Unlike other undrafted rookies, Jennings did not immediately sign a free agency contract after the NFL Draft. Instead, he had to prove himself worthy of a deal at the Patriots’ rookie minicamp: one of 21 players invited on a tryout basis, he ended up showing the team enough to be signed to a standard three-year UDFA pact — one that led to further chances throughout the summer.
The young runner did not turn those into a spot on the initial 53-man roster after touching the ball 15 times for 97 yards in preseason. However, he was signed to New England’s initial practice squad the day after his release.
Jennings spent the majority of his first NFL season on the developmental roster, and was elevated to the game day squad on one occasion during that time (Week 6 vs. Houston). In late December, he was officially signed to the active roster for the remainder of the season; he added two more in-game appearances to close out his rookie campaign.
In those three total games, Jennings saw action on offense twice (Week 6 plus Week 18 vs. Buffalo) and finished with 13 carries for 33 yards. He also saw a handful of snaps on three special teams units without registering any statistics, adding to what was a relatively successful but on the grand scale of things uneventful individual season.
2025 preview
Position: Early-down/Short-yardage RB | Ability: Camp body/Practice squad candidate | Contract: Signed through 2025
What will be his role? Based on his skillset as well as his limitations, Jennings is best suited to work in a specialized role. He is expected to see most of his action on early downs, and might also have some value on short-yardage or goal-line plays. Furthermore, he could be a “closer” of sorts to bleed the clock late in games.
What is his growth potential? Jennings had some positive moments as a rookie in 2024, but naturally is at a stage in his development where he still has room for substantial growth. He likely will never develop into a true all-around back, but has the skills to become a complementary early-down option with special teams potential as well.
Does he have positional versatility? Compared to other running backs on the Patriots’ roster, Jennings is a rather one-dimensional player; as mentioned above, he is best suited for an early-down and short-yardage role. Where his versatility lies is the kicking game: he played on both the punt and kickoff return units in his limited game action in 2024 as well as on the kickoff coverage team.
What is his salary cap situation? Jennings signed a two-year deal when he was elevated from the practice squad last December, which means that 2025 will be a contract year for him. He is entering it with a $960,000 salary cap number that consists entirely of his base salary and is not high enough to qualify for Top 51 status. As a consequence, he currently is not counted against New England’s cap.
How safe is his roster spot? Despite making his way from the practice squad to the 53-man team late during the 2024 season, Jennings is far from guaranteed to keep that spot in 2025. Besides his limitations as far as athletic skill and versatility are concerned, he also is facing increased competition especially due to the additions of rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Lan Larison. Henderson is guaranteed a roster spot due to his status as a second-round draft pick; Larison saw extensive action during the open portion of offseason workouts. Both seem more likely to make the team than Jennings at this point.
Summary: Even though he ended the 2024 as the Patriots’ third running back, Jennings realistically will fight for a practice squad spot rather than the active roster this summer. That does not automatically mean he won’t have a long-term future in Foxborough, but his outlook seems less clear than that of other running backs currently in the room.
What do you think about Terrell Jennings heading into the 2025 season? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.