Projecting Rhamondre Stevenson’s stats for the Patriots in 2024 

Chronicles of Narnia author and J.R.R. Tolkien’s bestie C.S. Lewis once wrote, “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” After the Patriots' horrendous 2023 season, that will be music to the ears of any football fan in New England. 

In 2024, the Patriots have left behind Zeke Elliott, Trent Brown, Mac Jones, Mike Gesicki, Adrian Klemm, Bill O’Brien, and Bill Belichick. What lies ahead remains to be seen, but with new faces like Alex Van Pelt, Scott Peters, Javon Baker, and Jaheim Bell, Patriots fans do have reason for hope. 

But what about the guys who are left over from the Belichick era? Well, he didn’t leave many bad players behind; it was just bad luck.  

Rhamondre Stevenson is a perfect example. Just as he was primed for a big 2023, the offensive line fell apart, and he suffered an injury. What does Stevenson’s future look like? 

The new faces

On the plus side, new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has already said he believes in establishing the run. But on the other hand, the Patriots prioritized signing another running back in free agency. 

Bizarrely, the running back they prioritized has career statistics similar to Stevenson's. Occasional weather reporter Antonio Gibson averages 4.1 yards per rushing attempt and 7.5 yards per reception compared to Stevenson’s 4.5 yards per attempt and 6.5 yards per reception. 

In a logical and predictable world, that would suggest the Patriots are going to use both guys and pound the rock a lot. But this is the NFL, where logic is often an alien concept. 

Based on the numbers he put up in the two games he started in 2023, if new Patriots running back Gibson had started all of the Commanders' games, he would have had 382 rushing yards and 187 receiving yards with eight total touchdowns.

That's more of an indication of how bad the offense was in Washington last year than how former Memphis Tiger Gibson performed. It highlights how the Commanders' offense only ran on 34% of their snaps because they were constantly playing from behind! 

Gibson isn't the only new running back in New England, though. The Patriots also signed DeShaun Fenwick and Terrell Jennings as undrafted free agents. They both look like very capable backs, but unless Stevenson or Gibson suffer some misfortune, the two experienced pros should see most of the carries.

Former high-school basketball player Gibson and Jamycal Hasty are the only regular kick returners in the running back room. That ability makes them particularly skilled in catching passes, especially on screenplays.

What happened last year

Former Oklahoma Sooner Stevenson suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 13, and even though he was only expected to miss a few weeks, the team eventually decided to end his season. 

Bizarrely, given Van Pelt’s claim that he believes NFL offenses should be built on a strong run game, his 2023 Browns offense only ran the ball 44% of the time. You have to expect his Patriots offense will stick with the run even if they are playing from behind. 

Not only did Van Pelt’s 2023 Browns offense have to start five different quarterbacks, but they also needed four different starting running backs! After Nick Chubb’s devastating injury, Pierre Strong, Kareem Hunt, and Jerome Ford filled the starting roles. 

Between them, they racked up 1,685 yards on the ground with 471 receiving yards. Jerome Ford started 12 games, and extrapolating his numbers from those starts, he would have ended the regular season with 1,138 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 touchdowns in 17 games. 

What does the future hold

If Stevenson had played all 17 games in 2023, he would have ended the season with 1,214 total yards from scrimmage on 275 touches. That would have ranked 25th in the league and been pretty remarkable on a clunky offense with multiple issues. 

With Van Pelt calling the plays and Stevenson leading the rushing attack, he should end the 2024 regular season with 910 rushing yards, 165 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns. 

More Patriots coverage: