The excitement around the start of Patriots training camp has been felt all month, and most of the attention will certainly be on the offense after the team acquired wide receiver A.J. Brown. The first glimpse of what he could do with Drake Maye was the highlight of mini-camp, so surely seeing that connection grow will dominate summer headlines.
It would be fair to say that the offense, in general, will remain the sole focus of analysts and fans for several reasons, mostly because the defense has not been a concern and should remain that way this season.
That puts more pressure on the offensive players to deliver, and there are several opportunities for some of the most under-the-radar players to carve out roles for themselves, one of those positions being running backs.
It's clear that Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson will continue leading the way, but their backups remain unclaimed. One of the top names competing for that role is Terrell Jennings, who has been with the Patriots for the last two years.
He hasn't made much of an impact just yet, and he will have some competition to secure the RB3 spot on this year's roster. However, his experience in the NFL, coupled with his special teams ability, makes him stand out from the rest and immediately makes him a player to watch.
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With the starting duo of Stevenson and Henderson ready to go, Jennings and rookie Jam Miller will be competing for a spot all summer long, and they'll have even more competition with the return of Lan Larison, who has gained some attention this offseason thus far.
Regardless, Jennings has a good opportunity to push them aside and climb the depth chart, with his limited but valuable NFL experience as a key difference that could give him the edge over his teammates.
Although he hasn't looked all too impressive so far, he hasn't had many opportunities to show what he can do, so that will need to change during training camp. But we did see that when he is given a chance, he can get the job done, as he scored his first touchdown during the 2025 season.
Injuries were the reason he got the chance to take the field, and unfortunately, that may be a major factor that dictates his future.
If he can string together some standout practices over the next several weeks, then he has a good chance to lock up the RB3 role over his less experienced fellow backs, so he will need to show that his experience is the difference-maker and why the coaches should feel more comfortable putting the ball in his hands.
If that isn't what will win him the job, his blocking and special-teams ability could be. Because the third unit has a lot more questions than answers at this point, as they don't appear to have a legitimate returner just yet, Jennings could take advantage and make it his role to lose.
Or he could step up into the role that Marte Mapu held as a leading tackler on special teams, now that the former safety is with the Texans.
No matter what, opportunity awaits Jennings, and this might be the last time he has a real shot at making the Patriots' 53-man roster. He has the tools to create a role for himself, and now he will just have to prove that he is capable of being the kind of player the team needs.
If he can, the Patriots have struck gold for their running back depth and maybe even special teams, both of which are overlooked weaknesses. It would be a significant development that not enough people are talking about, so it's a big opportunity for Jennings moving forward.
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