When the Patriots finalized their 2025 roster last week at the deadline, there weren't many surprises that analysts and fans hadn't already anticipated. What happened after, however, was a bit more shocking, with the unexpected cuts of Kendrick Bourne and Jabrill Peppers.
The rest of how the team was assembled made sense, especially offensively. Despite an apparent lack of depth on the offensive line and arguably the receiving corps, the players who shined brightest this summer stayed put, prompting many to predict what the upgraded group might accomplish this year.
That has included rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who looked like an absolute powerhouse during training camp and the preseason, easily looking like one of the team's best draft picks in recent memory. So much so that some speculated he would leapfrog Rhamondre Stevenson as the backfield starter as soon as Week 1.
Instead, the Patriots' first unofficial depth chart after this season's roster was put together ends that speculation and has left fans scratching their heads.
TreVeyon Henderson is far too low on the Patriots' depth chart after impressive preseason
A look at the #Patriots post-roster cuts unofficial depth chart: pic.twitter.com/Pd4JAJwotA
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) September 2, 2025
Although it's far from official, it's a bit odd to see Henderson considered the RB3 after what we've seen from him so far. It might just be because he's a rookie and the coaching staff is more comfortable with having Antonio Gibson above him, but it won't have any bearing on how they utilize him on game day.
Or it really could be that they expect Henderson to still prove himself to be better than the seasoned veteran, which isn't entirely unexpected, given he has yet to play in the NFL.
Regardless, it's unlikely that Henderson will remain behind on the depth chart for too long if he continues to build upon the impressive performances he showed during the preseason. He stole the show across the NFL and had many teams regretting overlooking him early in the second round, especially the Browns, who took his Ohio State teammate instead.
Henderson is on a path to becoming the heart and soul of the Patriots' offense of the future, and that will likely start as soon as the season opener, making it even less understandable to have him deep in the depth chart.