The NFL preseason is typically when every team evaluates the talent they have to determine who should and shouldn't make the roster for the upcoming season, particularly rookies and new additions from earlier in the year. That's especially true in the preseason opener, which explains why so many Patriots starters did not suit up for last Friday's game against the Commanders.
Instead, fans and the coaching staff got their first good look at the talent down the depth chart, and a few players stood out for all the right reasons, including UDFA running back Lan Larison.
Similar to another standout undrafted player in wide receiver Efton Chism III, Larison became a household name in New England during OTAs and minicamp this spring, leading many to be excited about what he could do during training camp. Although he fell a bit more under the radar over the past few weeks, his performance against the Commanders on Friday, which included a late-game touchdown, reminded everyone of just how impactful he could be when given the chance.
Unfortunately, after the score, he left the game with an apparent leg injury, putting his immediate future in doubt. And now we know what his future holds with the Patriots' latest announcement.
The Patriots lose another potential explosive weapon for Drake Maye due to injury
The apparent potential for Larison to be a dark horse addition to the Patriots roster is officially over for the 2025 season, as the Patriots placed him on injured reserve on Sunday morning, ending his rookie year before it could even begin.
Undrafted RB Lan Larison is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days for a foot injury, per sources.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 10, 2025
Larison, of UC-Davis, had been vying for a roster spot behind Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson and Antonio Gibson.
As he showed Friday night (7 carries, 35 yards,…
It's a big hit to the team, even if he's not necessarily a big name or would be at the top of the depth chart. But his performance during camp and his versatility would have easily been a boost for Maye to work with and provide some more mystery to Josh McDaniels' game plan for defenses to prepare for.
Larison would have rounded out their already deep running back room headed by Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, and Antonio Gibson. Instead, he will spend the season watching the games instead of playing in them.
The hope is that he can come back stronger than ever next year and continue to build upon what he showed the team over the last several weeks. That might be a long shot considering he went undrafted, but he clearly made a great impression on the coaching staff, so there's no reason to believe they will be quick to release him for any reason.