The New England Patriots are being predicted to make a significant move to address the running back position during the NFL offseason.
The New England Patriots went into the season thinking their backfield situation was set, as they signed Rhamondre Stevenson to an extension and added Antonio Gibson via free agency.
Stevenson in particular struggled, however, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry while fumbling seven times. Gibson was decent in a secondary role, but it became abundantly clear that the Patriots could use some help at running back.
New England has plenty of cap room to play with this offseason, so it can always bring in a free agent, but Ryan McLaughlin of Musket Fire thinks that the Pats will take to the NFL Draft to find an answer.
“The draft appears to be the logical route here,” McLaughlin wrote. “Consider Ohio State’s Trayvon Henderson, whose draft stock improved after his performance leading the Buckeyes to a national championship.”
McLaughlin went as far to predict that the Patriots “will” add another halfback in the coming months.
Henderson is certainly an intriguing option, as the Buckeyes star racked up 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging a hefty 7.1 yards per attempt in 2024, helping Ohio State win a national championship. He also caught 27 passes for 284 yards and a score.
The problem is that the Patriots are locked into Stevenson and have Gibson under contract for another year, so they may have a hard time fitting a new running back into their offense.
New England could potentially cut ties with Gibson, but he was actually more productive and reliable than Stevenson on a per-touch basis this past year, as he logged 4.5 yards per tote and only put the ball on the ground twice.
One thing is for sure, though: the Pats could definitely stand to upgrade the position. How they go about doing it remains to be seen.
