The New England Patriots, for the first time in several years, are on their way to the NFL playoffs, and if they keep up their current rate of success, they'll have a great seed there, as well. Yet, it's never too early for pundits to think about the offseason.
One top one, Bleacher Report is talking about every team's best trade chips. For the Patriots, it's running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
Last offseason, Mike Vrabel invested a second-round pick in Ohio State's top running back, TreVeyon Henderson. He had a breakout game against the Bucs with two long touchdown runs and followed that up with three more scores against the Jets. Henderson's development has been hindered only by the Patriots' coaching staff keeping him on the sidelines too often earlier in the season.
Now, after scoring five touchdowns in two games, a decision to bench Henderson will be pure folly, even if former No. 1 back Rhamondre Stevenson returns to action. Henderson should be the lead back, no matter who else is available.
TreVeyon Henderson is the Patriots' best running back
Rhamondre Stevenson was thought to be a trade possibility the last offseason. After 2024, in which he fumbled seven times, as many times as he scored touchdowns, he was a prime candidate to be traded, especially after the pick of Henderson in the second round.
Now, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report feels Rhamondre Stevenson is the team's most valuable trade chip.
"The 27-year-old still has his moments, which should be enough to draw some interest. Meanwhile, rookie second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson has emerged as the clear-cut top dog in the New England backfield."
B/R is spot on. Stevenson, when right, is still a solid NFL back. His fumbling is an issue, and it will unquestionably tamp down his trade value, but when he's right, he's a solid NFL back, and there should be teams that will have interest. The question is, what is his value on the open market?
Patriot Nation shouldn't expect a big trade return for Rhamondre Stevenson
The Patriots should definitely move on from Stevenson after 2025 if they can. Unfortunately, his dead cap hit is more than $8M in 2026, so it's unlikely the Patriots would release him. The only viable option with a 2026 cap hit of about $7.6M is a trade.
That cap situation could be a huge deterrent to moving Stevenson, who'll be 28 in February. Yet some team with cap space and a need for a solid back (when he's not coughing up the rock) may be willing to deal. It may involve taking on some dead cap money for one of that team's rejects to get a deal done. Yet, don't expect any more than the customary sixth-round pick or maybe a fifth, maybe.
Even if Stevenson is around for another season, he's likely gone after 2026 when his dead cap hit is a manageable $3.2M. But if he stays around and can keep from fumbling the ball, it's not the worst thing for the Patriots' 2026 roster.
Yet, no matter what Stevenson's situation is, Henderson should be the lead back both now and in 2026. It's clear that when he has any room at all to run (a rare occurrence with his current offensive line), he's a threat to take it to the house every carry. Vrabel will further upgrade the O-line this offseason, and then Henderson will further explode onto the NFL scene in 2026.