The New England Patriots are in the thick of one of the preseason’s most telling stretches, and the running back room may be where the picture sharpens fastest. With Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson looking locked into the top two spots, the real fight is for RB3 - and Hassan Haskins has suddenly forced his way into the conversation.
For most of the offseason, Jam Miller and Lars Larison looked like the main contenders for that third spot. Then Mike Vrabel changed the mix by signing Haskins, a back he knows well from their Tennessee days. Vrabel was the Titans’ head coach when the team drafted Haskins in the 2022 NFL Draft, and that connection appears to matter as New England starts sorting through its backfield.
Haskins’ NFL résumé doesn’t jump off the page. In three seasons with two different teams, he has just 228 career rushing yards. But the Patriots have already moved him up the ladder, and that alone says plenty about where this battle stands.
The biggest signal came heading into Saturday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Haskins is now getting first-team reps, even though he only arrived last week. That’s a notable step for a player who was barely in the picture not long ago, and it suggests Vrabel wants a closer look before the team makes its final call at running back.
Haskins already got his first taste of a Patriots uniform against the Colts last week, when he ran five times for 15 yards. New England is expected to expand his workload against Philadelphia, giving him another chance to show the staff what he can do with more touches.
Vrabel has shown this kind of familiarity before. Earlier in the offseason, the Patriots traded for A.J. Brown, another player Vrabel coached in Tennessee.
Miller and Larison still have time to push back, but the momentum is clearly with Haskins right now. If he keeps getting first-team chances and makes the most of them against the Eagles, he could go from late addition to Patriots RB3 by the time camp wraps up.
In Other News...
Vrabel Just Got Caught In The Patriots' Growing Camp Tension
Training camp has already started to feel a little more unsettled for the Patriots, and Mike Vrabel found himself in the middle of it during a practice when a scuffle broke out and he stepped in to separate players. The brief confrontation turned physical after punches were exchanged, a reminder that camp is as much about managing emotions as installing schemes, especially when the pads come on and the roster starts fighting for position.
Vrabel also had to address another bit of tension when Christian Gonzalez was not on the field because of unresolved contract negotiations, leaving New England without one of its most important defensive pieces at a time when every rep matters. The Patriots will keep moving forward through the absence, but the combination of on-field friction and an unresolved contract situation is adding an early layer of uncertainty to a camp that was supposed to be about building momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Move On From Injured Lineman As Another Decision Looms
The Patriots have cleared one more spot on the roster by reaching an injury settlement with offensive lineman Andrew Rupcich, a move that sends him through waivers with the possibility another team could claim him. Rupcich landed on injured reserve after suffering a strained MCL in the preseason, cutting short his early push for a role after arriving in New England in 2025.
Rupcich had previously spent time with the Tennessee Titans before joining the Patriots, and his departure leaves New England to keep sorting through its offensive line depth as the season moves forward. It also comes at a moment when the team has another decision looming, with more roster maneuvering likely still ahead as injuries continue to shape the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face A Costly Christian Gonzalez Decision At The Worst Time
Christian Gonzalez has already become one of the most important young pieces in the Patriots secondary, which is why the contract situation around him is getting so much attention. Even with his value obvious on the field, he has not signed an extension, and the talks around his future appear to have stalled, leaving New England with a familiar kind of headache when a premium defender is due for a financial decision.
The conversation now has moved beyond just a standard negotiation and into what happens if the sides cannot find common ground. Around the league, teams are watching the market for elite corners, and Sauce Gardners recent trade has offered a model for what a blockbuster deal might look like if it ever came to that. For the Patriots, the question is less about whether Gonzalez matters and more about how much leverage they have left if the situation keeps drifting in the wrong direction. [Read more 🡒]