You can see these morning-after narratives coming from a mile away. This one following Thursday Night Football between the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears felt more like 10 miles.
TreVeyon Henderson, the explosive Ohio State running back the Patriots made the No. 38 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was outsnapped by Rhamondre Stevenson 36-13. He finished Thursday’s loss to the Bears with three carries for 9 yards and caught both of his targets for 14 yards (one of them a one-handed beauty).
On the other side, Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III — the player taken immediately after Henderson in 2025, No. 39 overall — torched the Patriots for 137 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
It was just one game, but Henderson’s trajectory right now is becoming a real concern. It’s fair for Patriots fans to worry whether one of the franchise’s most celebrated draft swings in recent memory was a miss.
TreVeyon Henderson is falling further behind in a Patriots backfield he was expected to take over
Henderson has been trending in the wrong direction since the start of the season, when he wasn’t able to suit up against Seattle in the season-opener due to a preseason ankle injury. He has continued to struggle with ankle issues throughout the season, and was actually a surprise active against the Jets last week after being diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain.
But speed and agility haven't been the issue with Henderson. Vision and feel are the biggest factors separating him from Stevenson on the Patriots’ depth chart. Even No. 3 running back Corey Kiner has outcarried Henderson, 15-10, over the past two games.
On Thursday night, Henderson went two full quarters without a rushing attempt after he appeared to miss a clear cut-back opportunity behind center Jared Wilson. Henderson hit the hole and had daylight to his right, but instead of showing some patience and setting up his blocks, he ran straight into Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson for a gain of 5.
It's notable that TreVeyon Henderson hasn't gotten a carry since he looked like he sought out a linebacker to tackle him on a second-and-9 run in the first quarter.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) October 23, 2026
That’s been the rub on Henderson dating back to his rookie season. When he finds a crease and hits it full speed, the defense isn’t catching him. It’s his down-to-down efficiency that’s severely limiting his impact right now.
Pro Football Focus graded Henderson as the Patriots’ worst offensive player against the Bears, mostly due to him allowing one pressure and one hurry in four pass-block reps. He now hasn’t played more than 16 offensive snaps since Week 4.
Kiner, meanwhile, is gaining trust from the coaches and has logged 33 snaps over the past three weeks; he played 22 total snaps over the first four games.
Henderson’s athletic talent is undeniable, and his issues with setting up running lanes are hopefully coachable. But for a borderline first-round pick, the returns just aren’t there right now.
Henderson was expected to take over the Patriots’ backfield by now, but he’s so far behind Stevenson that it's becoming a legitimate concern.
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