The Patriots go into their Week 3 matchup against the Jaguars after celebrating their first win of the season, beating the Steelers in their home opener this past Sunday. A lot of good things happened in that game, but there were plenty of negatives too, and one of the worst was Rhamondre Stevenson losing another fumble.
This issue has been part of the running back's career since the start and became a major problem at the start of the 2025 season, leading to TreVeyon Henderson replacing him for several drives.
But after his last fumble against the Bills in Week 5, it seemed like Stevenson finally got better with ball security, and it was something he had finally put behind him, only to lose another fumble to the Steelers in last week's game.
That forced the coaching staff to keep him sidelined longer than they otherwise would have and left many wondering whether his time as the go-to running back would end sooner rather than later.
However, what Mike Vrabel said on Wednesday seems to contradict that, and it doesn't appear the Patriots will be making any significant changes to their offensive roster anytime soon, whether that's good news or not.
Mike Vrabel isn't entertaining a big change within the Patriots' running back room
While speaking to reporters ahead of practice on Wednesday afternoon, the head coach was asked about how the offense might split up the backfield moving forward. Given that Stevenson fumbled again while Henderson scored a 39-yard touchdown, most believed we would see the second-year player get more starting reps as soon as next week.
It doesn't appear that Vrabel agrees with that assesment, and it looks like the plan will remain what we've seen so far: Stevenson is the starter, and Henderson is the backup.
"I hope that they both can help us. When we were playing well offensively, they both had major roles.
We’re going to need [Rhamondre's] playmaking ability. We’re going to need what TreVeyon brings to the table as well."
This is no different from what we've heard from Vrabel before about Stevenson, since he's been a vocal supporter of the running back since becoming head coach last offseason.
When the fumbling issues returned last year, Vrabel was a staunch believer in Stevenson's value to the team and trusted he could turn it around and stop making big mistakes. He was eventually proven right, finishing the season with 130 carries for 603 yards and 7 touchdowns, plus 32 receptions for 345 yards and 2 touchdowns.
His production as a receiver makes him even more important to the offense because he's become a security blanket for Drake Maye in the passing game. It's a skill Henderson doesn't have, at least not yet, and it would be hard to replace if they chose to sideline him for his young teammate.
Of course, things can change quickly if he can't stop turning the ball over. But it would be premature to assume Vrabel will make any drastic changes to the starting lineup, given how he handled the issue just a year ago.
For now, Stevenson will still be the starting running back, and the hope is that he won't let fumbling define his season again. The offense will be counting on that.
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