Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. That's why, at this point, the New England Patriots have no one but themselves to blame for Rhamondre Stevenson's miscues.
As good a player as he is, Stevenson has never been able — or willing — to take proper care of the football. It's always a matter of time before he puts the ball on the ground. He knows it, the defense knows it, and everyone 500 miles from the stadium knows it.
Nevertheless, Josh McDaniels and the Patriots continue to roll with him, and second-year OT Will Campbell will continue to have his back. Following another fumble lost, the Patriots' left tackle came in Stevenson's defense.
The Patriots must trust TreVeyon Henderson after Rhamondre Stevenson's fumbling issue returns
"Rhamondre is a hell of a player. I love blocking for him. I have full faith in him to carry the ball at all times. He’s proven that and what type of player he can be. None of us thought twice whenever [he fumbled]. We know that we’ll hand it right back to him and he’s gonna make a play. So, next play mentality,” Campbell said.
Of course, that's what good teammates do and say, and he should've thrown Stevenson under the bus. That said, it's just time everyone comes to terms with the fact that he's a fumbling machine; that's just who he is.
Stevenson has fumbled the ball 18 times in 72 career games. He's lost 10 of those fumbles, including a horrid 2024 season, when he fumbled seven times and lost four. That's just not acceptable for an RB1.
The Patriots used a valuable second-round pick on TreVeyon Henderson last offseason. He may not be perfect and still needs to work on his patience and vision, but he should be the team's primary ball carrier going forward.
Henderson is the superior pass-catcher, the more explosive runner, and doesn't bring the same ball-security issues. He's expected to leap in year two, and that might finally end the Patriots' curse with Stevenson.
Granted, Stevenson has had some good moments, and he's better than the average backup running back, but how many more opportunities does he need? He's killed drives time and time again with his sloppy hands and mental miscues.
He leaves the ball too exposed when he runs through traffic, and opposing defenses know he struggles with that; he's an easy target for punchouts. He's been in the league since 2021, so he's pretty much a finished product by now.
The Patriots' offense is still a work in progress, and establishing the run will be even more crucial without A.J. Brown's absence. As such, perhaps Stevenson should be more of a goal-line/short-yardage specialist going forward, with Henderson handling the bulk of the work.
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