Mike Vrabel drops a TreVeyon Henderson comparison Patriots fans will love

The return of Rhamondre Stevenson to the New England Patriots' starting lineup had some concerned about what it would mean for rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who had impressed during his starts in the veteran's place.

Although he's taken a backseat since Stevenson recalimed the starting role, he continues to be an explosive aspect of the Patriots' offense, as seen against the Giants on Monday Night Football. He brings the spark they often need, especially with their struggles to establish the run game early and often.

Given that Stevenson was put back in the starting lineup as soon as he returned from injury, there was some chatter that the coaching staff might not have been all that thrilled with Henderson's performance in his absence.

But based on what Vrabel had to say about him before Monday night's game, and who he compared him to, it seems fair to assume that's far from the truth.

Mike Vrabel couldn't have compared TreVeyon Henderson to a better running back

While speaking about the Patriots near the end of the game, ESPN's Joe Buck shared what the head coach had to say about Henderson in the days leading up to Monday night.

In fact, the head coach raved about the rookie to the point of comparing his efforts to that of Jahmyr Gibbs, who has exploded onto the scene over the last three years since he was drafted by the Lions, and is a significant comp for Henderson and what he can accomplish in a few years' time.

Although their stats for this season are not close, Gibbs is in his third season with Detroit, so there is plenty of time for Henderson to catch up, especially if he steals the starting role from Stevenson at some point in the near future.

That is looking inevitable at this point, as he continues to prove just how good he can be when given the opportunity. And if recent history has taught us anything, it's shown that Henderson provides the explosive play the Patriots need more often than not, and that can't be ignored for much longer.

If his future looks as bright as it does already, Vrabel's comparing him to one of the best in the league at this point only makes his trajectory seem even higher than anticipated. That's an exciting development for a surprise draft pick, and it puts the Patriots in good standing offensively for the long haul.