The New England Patriots made a lot of moves this offseason and have seen quite a significant roster shuffle as a result. It has also put some of their returning players in an awkward position.
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A perfect example is running back Rhamondre Stevenson, whose starting job is obviously in jeopardy thanks to the Patriots selecting TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the NFL Draft.
Stevenson had a rough year in 2024, rushing for 801 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging a meager 3.9 yards per carry. He also fumbled seven times.
However, Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus has listed the 27-year-old as one of the league's biggest bounce-back candidates going into 2025, citing New England's new and improved offensive line as a reason for the optimism.
"Stevenson’s rushing production relies heavily on his offensive line, more so than nearly any other running back," Jahnke wrote. "He averages 8.0 yards per carry on perfectly blocked runs and 3.1 on non-perfectly blocked runs. All running backs are better with better blocking, but his yards per carry gap on the two is among the largest in the league. ... It seems unlikely the line will be average next year, but the Patriots have hopefully done enough not to be in last again. Even a small difference could lead to a big difference in Stevenson’s rushing production."
The Pats selected Stevenson in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After a decent rookie campaign, the University of Oklahoma product broke out with 1,040 yards and five scores in 2022, logging a robust five yards per attempt.
Unfortunately, it has been all downhill for Stevenson ever since, and now, his job appears to be on the line, even after signing a four-year contract extension with the Patriots last March.
But perhaps Stevenson can rebound with a strong 2025 campaign.
