TreVeyon Henderson’s ankle tweak has put the Patriots’ backfield in a tough spot, but it also opens a door for the runners trying to climb the depth chart.
Henderson left practice early on Monday after tweaking his ankle, and Eliot Wolf said Tuesday that the second-year playmaker would not be at practice while they are “working through that situation now.” There’s been no real indication yet of how serious the injury is, but any missed time matters for a running back group that was already thin behind Rhamondre Stevenson.
That shortage gives the rest of the room a chance to make noise at exactly the right time. With the preseason finale against the Browns coming Thursday, the Patriots need somebody to seize the extra reps while Henderson is sidelined.
Jam Miller and Lan Larison have already been the names popping up most often over the past month, and this stretch could be their best shot to prove they belong in the mix for the RB3 job. Larison, who had been viewed as a frontrunner for the main backup role last year before a season-ending injury, was already getting work against the Eagles this past weekend. That’s a strong sign he has made an impression, and now he gets another chance to build on it.
Miller, a seventh-round pick this year, has also earned attention with a few strong practices. If Henderson’s absence leads to more reps, Miller has a real opportunity to keep pushing himself out of practice-squad territory and into the conversation for a roster spot.
The veterans aren’t out of the picture either. JaMycal Hasty brings some familiarity with the Patriots, along with the kind of steady backfield and passing-game value that can keep him in the mix even if he isn’t the flashiest option. Hassan Haskins has a steeper climb because he’s newer to the team, but he made a strong first-week impression and will have a chance to keep that momentum going while Henderson sits.
The bigger picture is that this has been one of the clearest roster battles all summer. There were rumblings that the Patriots might try to get by with just Henderson and Stevenson and stash the rest on the practice squad, but that idea never looked especially sturdy. Now, with Henderson potentially missing practice time, the competition has only become more open.
And for the backs fighting for position, that’s the kind of break they’ve been waiting for.
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