Rhamondre Stevenson is going to have a bigger job on his hands for the New England Patriots, and the timing couldn’t be more important.
In Week 1, Stevenson was mostly fine in the Patriots’ loss, piling up 51 rushing yards on 18 carries and adding five catches for 44 yards. That’s useful production, but it also left room on the table.
He needed to be better between the tackles and create more splash plays that could help the passing game breathe. Drake Maye finished with 178 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, and his performance dipped even further after A.J.
Brown exited with a high-ankle sprain.
That’s the bigger issue for New England now. The passing game doesn’t revolve around Stevenson, but he still sits at the center of what the Patriots want to do on offense, both as a runner and as a piece that can help everything else work.
Against a defense as strong as the Seattle Seahawks’, the margin for error shrinks fast. Every part of the offense has to pull its weight.
A lot of the pressure in the run game is now landing on Stevenson, especially if TreVeyon Henderson misses more time with his ankle injury. If Stevenson can elevate his play, New England can at least keep itself afloat while Brown is out.
Brown has been placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the next four games. If Stevenson stays at his current level, though, the Patriots are going to have a hard time matching what they did last year.
The Patriots have long trusted Stevenson in this role. Since taking over as the starter in 2022/2023, the Las Vegas native has been a steady presence in the backfield. There are obvious blemishes - his 17 fumbles since entering the league in 2021 are tied with Austin Ekeler for the most by a running back in that span - but he still brings real value.
He can help as a receiver and as a blocker, and he combines power with enough elusiveness to make defenders miss in tight spaces. He also understands how to hit a crease when one opens up. That’s a big reason New England is likely to keep him as the starter even after Henderson returns.
What Stevenson isn’t is a true explosive threat. He’s not the kind of back who turns every touch into a potential knockout blow, which makes it easier for defenses to plan for him.
The Patriots don’t need him to suddenly become Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson, but they do need more than dependable production. They need him to tilt games.
New England is already dealing with problems in the passing game because of Brown’s injury and Romeo Doubs’ rough debut with the team. If Stevenson can force defenses to pay more attention to the backfield and create a little more danger there, it would ease the burden on Maye and the rest of the offense.
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Trade Watch Worth Following On Defense
The Patriots defensive front is already under the microscope after Week 1 exposed some soft spots in the linebacker group, and that has made the trade market worth monitoring a little earlier than usual. One name that has surfaced is Giants edge linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, whose role in New York appears to have shrunk enough to raise questions about where he fits long term.
For New England, the appeal is obvious: a player with pass-rush talent and a chance to help a defense that needs more impact at the second level. The buzz is that Thibodeaux could be had for a mid-round draft pick, which is the kind of price that can turn a speculative idea into a real conversation, even if the Giants are not ready to settle the issue just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Rookie Is Already Filling A Role New England Desperately Needed
The Patriots used a busy April draft to stock up on help, and a few of those rookies have already found ways to matter. Caleb Lomu, Gabe Jacas, Eli Raridon and Namdi Obiazor all arrived in New England with different jobs ahead of them, but early in the season the team has seen contributions across the board. Jacas got to the quarterback for his first NFL sack in Week 1, Raridon put his name in the record book by scoring the first touchdown of the NFL season, and Obiazor has started to carve out a place on special teams.
For New England, Obiazors role may wind up being the most immediately important of the group. The Patriots are leaning on him and other rookies to help replace the special teams losses from last season, and he has already shown he can handle limited snaps with three tackles. It is the kind of quiet but necessary contribution that can matter more than flashy offensive moments, especially for a team trying to rebuild depth wherever it can find it. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Keep Tweaking Roster Depth With Another Notable Shuffle
The Patriots kept adjusting the bottom of the roster Monday, bringing safety Elliott Davison back onto the practice squad after clearing space by releasing tight end Shane Zylstra. Davison had already spent time on New Englands practice squad earlier this season, and the former Saints defensive back gives the team another familiar name to lean on as it continues sorting through depth options.
Zylstras release came with an injury waiver, another reminder that the practice squad churn is rarely just about talent evaluation this time of year. New Englands current group also includes several other reserve options, and the team has kept the door open with recent workouts for a couple of players as it tries to keep the right mix available behind the active roster. [Read more 🡒]