The New England Patriots have added some depth to their backfield, signing running back Elijah Mitchell to the practice squad - a timely move given the current state of their RB room.
With rookie TreVeyon Henderson sidelined due to a concussion suffered on Sunday night, the Patriots were down to just two healthy backs on the active roster: Rhamondre Stevenson and D’Ernest Johnson. That’s not ideal heading into the final stretch of the season, especially for a team that’s leaned on the run game to stabilize its offense.
Enter Mitchell, a familiar name for fans who’ve followed the league’s ground game over the past few seasons. The 27-year-old was a sixth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 out of Louisiana and made an immediate impact when healthy.
Over three seasons with the Niners, Mitchell appeared in 27 games, racking up 1,523 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He brought a downhill, one-cut running style that fit Kyle Shanahan’s system well - when he was on the field.
Injuries, however, have been the story of Mitchell’s career. He missed the entire 2024 season due to injury and never quite found his footing this year in Kansas City. The Chiefs brought him in during the offseason, hoping he could bolster their depth chart, but he ended up appearing in just one game and didn’t record a carry - his lone stat was a single target.
Now, Mitchell gets a fresh start in Foxborough. While he’s not being brought in to carry the load - at least not right away - his presence gives the Patriots a bit more flexibility in case the injury bug continues to bite.
And at 27, he’s not exactly over the hill. If he’s healthy, there’s still some burst in those legs.
For New England, this is a classic low-risk, potentially useful move. Mitchell’s experience and upside make him a solid insurance policy, and if called upon, he’s shown before that he can handle a meaningful workload.