The New England Patriots have two starting jobs that already look shaky as training camp opens, and both situations could shift before the 2026 NFL season even gets rolling.
At running back, Rhamondre Stevenson is staring at a real challenge from TreVeyon Henderson. Stevenson’s rise hit its peak in 2022, when he piled up 210 carries for 1,040 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Since then, he hasn’t gotten back to that level. In 2024, he handled a similar workload but finished with 801 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, and his efficiency dipped from 5.0 yards per carry to 3.9.
That downturn helped push New England to take Henderson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the rookie wasted no time making his case. In 2025, Henderson logged 180 carries for 911 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He also added 35 receptions for 221 receiving yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots clearly see Henderson as more than just a complementary piece. He gives them the dual-threat element Stevenson lacks, and he already looks like the better runner. Stevenson isn’t in danger of being cut, but his role could shrink into more of a power-running assignment this fall.
The other major battle is at right tackle, where 35-year-old Morgan Moses entered camp as the projected starter. That may not last long if first-round rookie Caleb Lomu is ready to push his way into the lineup.
Lomu arrives with a reputation as a left tackle and elite pass protector, but New England has Will Campbell locked in on the left side, so Lomu will have to make the move to right tackle. That adds another layer to the competition, since he has to learn a new spot while adjusting to the NFL game.
Even with that hurdle, the Patriots may not wait long if Lomu shows he can handle it. Protecting Drake Maye has to be a priority after the pounding he took in the playoffs, and that could speed up the rookie’s path to the job.
Moses still has the inside track for now, but the pressure is real. If Lomu takes to the position quickly, the most likely outcome is that he eventually passes Moses during the regular season. And if Moses slips at the wrong time, he could lose the job for good.
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Mike Vrabel has been clear that the team is still sorting through the best guard combinations, even with the top two spots defined. For now, the depth looks serviceable, but the kind of injury that interrupts practice planning can quickly make a line feel thinner than it looked on paper, and the Patriots will keep searching for more reliable options as camp goes on. [Read more 🡒]