The Patriots' roster has been entirely made over this offseason in all aspects. Yet, it's more than likely that the offense will remain the focus during the season due to the excitement around what Drake Maye can accomplish in his second year with a much-improved group to work with, on top of Josh McDaniels calling plays.
That has prompted analysts and fans to have high expectations for what their output can be just one year after an abysmal showing under Jerod Mayo. That includes the backfield, which is expected to still be led by Rhamondre Stevenson, who is coming off another rough year, remembered for all the wrong reasons.
The fumbling issues of his past were once again a leading cause for concern regarding the running back's future, and we saw it rear its ugly head during last week's first scrimmage. It was a reminder of just how crucial it will be for Stevenson to clean up his game or risk being replaced by explosive rookie TreVeyon Henderson, as he is already looking like a superstar well before the season begins.
Fortunately for Stevenson, despite the concerns, Mike Vrabel isn't holding his previous performances against him.
Rhamondre Stevenson has earned some leniency from Mike Vrabel ahead of the Patriots season
Stevenson's struggles last year led to numerous unfortunate moments on game day, putting the offense in a hole. That's what made seeing him fumble in the team's first scrimmage all the more troubling, especially since it's the main thing he needs to clean up before the season begins.
Vrabel acknowledged the problem with reporters earlier this week, but also emphasized that all players have a clean slate moving forward, which might not have been the case for Stevenson under the old regime.
"Clean Slate" - Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel on Rhamondre Stevenson's fumbling issues
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A fresh start is exactly what Stevenson needs, but that's not going to prevent him from fumbling the football. He needs to improve his ability to secure the football and avoid giving opposing defenses more chances to get ahead.
He has made it clear that he is aware of how important it is for him to get a handle on protecting the football, and hopefully, with the preseason underway, we will actively see that happening. If it doesn't get better, there's plenty of reason to believe that he won't remain the RB1 for long.
Stevenson could immediately be replaced by Henderson, who has already become the Patriots' next superstar weapon just through training camp. Players and coaches alike continue to rave about what he is capable of and how impressive he has looked at practice, specifically his speed, so stepping into a starting role likely wouldn't be too difficult.
Until that possibly happens, however, the duo of Henderson and Stevenson should be an excellent pairing and could be the 1-2 punch out of the backfield that Maye can utilize for a long time.