Patriots 2026 RB Preview: Competition For Third Job Still Open
Fumbling issues and injuries plagued the New England Patriots' backfield last season, but gone are those days. Some new faces, along with a seemingly-changed Rhamondre Stevenson leading the way, the Patriots' running backs have the chance to be a major part of the team's offensive success this year.
The Patriots got solid running back play a year ago, with Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson creating a really nice 1-2 punch out of the backfield. Other than those two, it became sort of a conveyor belt of players as RB3.
This season, that rotation of players is still alive and well. But one solid camp from one of the backups could launch them into squarely having a spot on the 53-man roster,.
As we head through the late spring/early summer practice portion of the year, we'll be taking a look at each of the position groups on the Patriots ahead of the 2026 training camp slate. Next up are the running backs, where New England has an opening for a third string.
Current Depth Chart:
- Rhamondre Stevenson (#38) - Sixth Season, Sixth With Patriots
- TreVeyon Henderson (#32) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- Terrell Jennings (#36) - Third Season, Third With Patriots
- Lan Larison (#34) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- Jam Miller (#30) - First Season, First With Patriots
- Myles Montgomery (#39) - First Season, First With Patriots
All of New England's running backs are homegrown, a rarity for teams heading into the summer months. Right now, it feels like both Stevenson and Henderson are the only locks for the roster. The group of four at the bottom are competing for what could be the final job on the roster. As for changes from last year, Miller and Montgomery are both rookies, replacing Antonio Gibson an D'Ernest Johnson on the 2025 roster.
2025 Season In Review:
The start of last season wasn't great for Stevenson. He had a history of fumbling the ball entering the year, and three more lost in a two-week stretch only led to a benching for the veteran. His six lost fumbles since the start of 2024 are the most by any NFL running back. It forced Gibson and Henderson to step it up more offensively, but after Gibson tore his ACL returning a kickoff, Stevenson reclaimed his spot.
Since that Week 5 game in Buffalo, a switch seemed to be flipped for Stevenson. He became a really reliable runner, pass blocker and receiver. It also opened the door up for the rookie Henderson to be used more in a change of pace way. Both of them became valuable pieces of the offense -- Stevenson had a career-high seven rushing touchdowns and Henderson was a finalist for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
After Gibson went down, there was a changing of the third man back there for quite a while. For a bit, it was Jennings, who ran the ball hard and scored his first career touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Then he got hurt and street free agent D'Ernest Johnson came in as a weekly practice squad elevation.
They could have had Larison on the roster. After all, he shined in the one preseason game he was in. Instead, a foot injury suffered in that game placed him on IR and ended his rookie year before it could even take off.
The two incoming rookies -- Miller and Montgomery -- both had productive final years in college. Miller, the Patriots' seventh round draft choice, had three touchdowns in 11 games after dealing with plenty of injuries. Montgomery, an undrafted free agent, ran for 705 yards as a UCF captain in 2025.
Strengths:
Stevenson isn't the first name that you'd think of when it comes to naming NFL running backs, but he's a extremely productive player when he's not putting the ball on the ground. His ability to see holes and work his way through traffic has gotten better as he ages, and he remains the top option as a pass protector. He and Henderson are both great as receiving options, something that's always useful in a Josh McDaniels offense.
The second-year Henderson isn't as polished a runner as the veteran Stevenson, but his skills as a big play threat are on display every time he touches the ball. He had an opening kickoff return in the preseason against Washington, two long runs against Tampa Bay and a impressive back-cut touchdown scamper against Buffalo. Regardless of where they are on the field, the Patriots have chances to break a long run.
There's also plenty of special teams talent on the roster as well. Jennings, while he doesn't return kicks, chipped in on those units last season. Larison returned kicks as a rookie last summer. If Miller and Montgomery can find ways to either become a returner or a valuable piece of the kickoff/kick return unit, they could sneak in.
I think Montgomery's play style as a runner is something that the Patriots could use in a backup. He brings a bit of swagger when it comes to carrying the football, and he's not afraid of running some routes as well. New England was really committed to bringing him in during the UDFA signing process, and I think his blazing speed would go well alongside Henderson's.
Weaknesses:
I've touched on it plenty, but the fumbles remain an issue for Stevenson throughout his career. He was able to stomp those into the ground post-Week 5 last season, but it could always show its ugly head once again in 2026. There is always a worry about putting the ball on the ground, and while Stevenson could be completely changed, defenses will always be punching at the ball whenever No. 38 is on the field.
Another big thing is pass protection, and helping to keep the quarterback upright in the pocket. Henderson got better at it as the year progressed, but it's still a work in progress. After all, he's more of a speedster that is so used to be a weapon on offense.
Same goes for Jennings, who's smaller frame (6-feet-0, 215 pounds) could make it difficult to pick up blockers off the edge. It was also something Miller really struggled at when he was with Alabama.
There's also some worry when it just comes to being a true bell cow. Obviously, the Patriots don't need to rely on their running game to pound the rock 30+ times every single week (though I'm sure they'd love to at times). The most attempts Stevenson has ha in one season is 210, and that was in 2022. If something happens to Drake Maye, or the passing offense looks out of sorts for an extended period of time, can the team lean on the running game to carry them most of the season? I'm not so sure.
2026 Outlook:
New England's offense will remain a passing one, as long as Maye is under center. That doesn't mean that the running backs won't be big parts of how the team operates on offense. Stevenson will still get plenty of carries, while Henderson will be given the opportunity to break off long plays like he did as a rookie.
Right now, the rest of the room is pretty clogged up. After one OTA practice, Larison feels like the favorite in the clubhouse to win the RB3 job, but we still have a long way to go. I expect whoever comes out of the preseason as the third-string back to have a slim offensive role, but make plenty of plays on special teams.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots 2026 RB Preview: Competition For Third Job Still Open.
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