Patriots Rookie TreVeon Henderson Could Refuse to Report For Camp, Expert Fears

When the New England Patriots used their second-round draft pick to take Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, the selection came as a surprise not only to NFL experts and fans, even Henderson himself was taken aback.

“I was shocked. I was definitely shocked,” Henderson told reporters shortly after the draft. He revealed that outside a single Zoom call with running backs coach Tony Dews, the Patriots had not contacted him prior to the draft, a highly unusual circumstance for a high draft pick.

But they got an explosive runner in Henderson who led the Big Ten in yards per attempt with 7.1 in 2024, and gained over 1,200 yards in his first season with the Buckeyes, and over 1,000 in his fourth and final year.

Nor did Henderson disappoint at Patriots minicamp last month, with some reports saying that he had leaped ahead of last year’s No. 2 back Antonio Gibson. Henderson could form, according to FanSided Patriots analyst Sara Marshall, “arguably … the best running back duo in the league with Henderson and [Rhamondre] Stevenson, which is something the team has long needed since the days of LeGarrette Blount and James White and even Rex Burkhead.”

Second Round Picks Across NFL Remain Unsigned

There’s only one problem. With Patriots training camp set to open in just 10 days, July 23, and with draft day now almost three months into history, Henderson may not show up.

The Patriots running back has yet to sign his rookie contract.

The problem is not only Henderson’s. The issue is league-wide, with 30 of the 32 second round NFL draft picks refusing to sign even at this late date. The issue is not money. They monetary values of each draft slot are predetermined. Henderson would receive $11.3 million over four years.

At least one expert commentator has raised fears that second-round picks, including Henderson, may stage holdouts. One is already doing exactly that.

“It’s hard to project who will be holding out and who won’t be, as those decisions are made on an individual basis,” wrote SB Nation NFL expert Justis Mosqueda on Saturday. “But it wouldn’t shock me if agents around the league got together and advised their players to not suit up until they get contracts inked.”

The problem can be traced to the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans, who selected at the top of the second round and broke precedent by giving their picks fully guaranteed deals — a condition previously reserved for first-round picks.

At the same time, the seventh pick in the second round, former Oregon quarterback Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints also insisted on a full guarantee. As a result, agents for every second-rounder want the same favorable treatment and have instructed their clients to refuse to sign — including Henderson.

NFL experts generally assumed that the problem would go away as training camp approached. But on Saturday a disturbing development indicated that things could get considerably more difficult than anticipated.

As participants in the NFL’s annual Hall of Fame game, the Los Angeles Chargers took advantage of the league’s permission toped training camp early — on Saturday, July 12. All of the Chargers players showed up — except one. That was, of course, second-round pick Tre Harris, a wide receiver out of Ole Miss, taken at No. 55 overall.

Possible Sign Henderson May Hold Out

What does that mean for Henderson? Will he also hold out? With Harris’s holdout as precedent, the answer may well be a yes. But a better indication will come on Tuesday.

That’s when six more teams are scheduled to convene their training camps. Those teams are set to be the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

The Patriots will have their attention focused on whether the second-round picks from any or all of those teams refuse to show up for training camp without signed contracts. If they do, the Patriots may find themselves without half of their running back tandem, at least until the NFL starts paying attention to the ongoing second-round contract problem.