Training camp season brings its usual mix of excitement and anxiety across the NFL, but the New England Patriots are dealing with something more serious than typical roster shuffling. Mike Reiss has been tracking developments at Gillette Stadium, where what started as routine position battles has turned into a legitimate crisis in the running back room in Mike Vrabel’s team.

The Patriots’ backfield looked solid just days ago. Rhamondre Stevenson dominated Friday’s preseason opener before mysteriously vanishing from practice sessions. The veteran rusher hasn’t been seen on the field since that strong performance. Stevenson’s Monday absence from Patriots practice raises red flags about his standing with Mike Vrabel. The veteran back has been battling issues all camp, starting with another fumble during last Friday’s scrimmage when cornerback Brandon Crossley punched the ball loose.

Stevenson’s reaction was telling. “I can’t do that,” he stated bluntly. “A mistake happened. It’s training camp. So hopefully, I can just get that out of the way right now and go into the season clean.” The frustration was obvious—this guy knows he’s on thin ice after last season’s seven fumbles nearly cost him his job. Mike Vrabel stayed diplomatically positive when asked, but actions speak louder.

This marks Stevenson’s second straight missed practice, likely ruling him out for New England’s second preseason game. Whether it’s injury-related or something else, it remains unclear—the Patriots aren’t talking. What’s certain? Stevenson managed just 36 yards on seven carries in the season opener, hardly the production of an indispensable player.

The Patriots clearly noticed it. They burned a second-round pick on TreVeyon Henderson, the former Ohio State speedster who exploded in his preseason debut with a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown. Henderson also flashed versatility with 18 rushing yards and three catches for 12 yards, signaling Stevenson’s days as the featured back might be numbered. He stepped into the spotlight created by Stevenson’s disappearance and showcased his game-breaking speed.

Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels couldn’t contain his enthusiasm when discussing Henderson’s potential impact on the offense. The veteran coach has worked with elite running backs throughout his career, but Henderson’s combination of intelligence and athleticism stands out even in that company. “He’s a tremendous kid. Really hard worker. Smart kid. Can process a lot of information, which allows you as a coach to use him the way he should be used,” McDaniels said about Henderson.

McDaniels’ praise extended beyond Henderson’s mental approach to the game. The coordinator specifically highlighted the rookie’s explosive speed, comparing him favorably to former Patriots standouts while acknowledging Henderson operates on another level entirely. “Explosive. I think we all saw that the other night. Tough. Physical. We’ve had some really good players with skill sets that are somewhat like his — maybe nobody quite as fast. [Shane] Vereen and [Danny] Woodhead were fast, but TreVeyon is ‘fast fast.'”

So, Monday’s practice revealed just how thin the Patriots’ depth has become behind Henderson and six-year veteran Antonio Gibson. Even though Vrabel has Henderson, the injury bug has devastated their options at an alarming rate. Promising undrafted free agent RB Lan Larison landed on injured reserve, too, with a foot injury, eliminating a player who’d been impressing coaches throughout camp.

The casualties kept mounting as practice unfolded. Newly signed Deneric Prince was absent for undisclosed reasons, while first-year rusher Terrell Jennings couldn’t finish the workout, possibly due to heat-related issues. That left only recently signed JaMycal Hasty as depth behind Henderson and Gibson. The coaching staff’s concerns about overtaxing their remaining healthy backs became obvious when they brought in undrafted rookie Shane Watts from Division II Fort Hays State for a Monday visit. The emergency tryout highlighted just how desperate New England has become for reliable depth in their backfield rotation. Anyway, one thing is positive in Foxborough; however, that too came with a shock.

Veteran receiver’s confidence transforms Mike Vrabel’s Patriots’ red zone approach

Takes months to develop, but Stefon Diggs has fast-tracked his connection with Drake Maye through pure alpha mentality. The Patriots’ biggest free-agent signing isn’t winning with size at 6 feet and 191 pounds, but his unwavering confidence in tight spaces has already made him Maye’s go-to target when the field shrinks near the goal line. Diggs brings a swagger that transforms how Maye approaches red zone situations.

However, lately in the camp, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “Receiver Stefon Diggs, who has done some of his best work in the red zone and had an early TD catch in practice, uncharacteristically dropped a would-be TD in the end zone on the final play.” Ouch! That wasn’t expected from this connection. But we can’t deny the fact that the veteran receiver’s track record of clutch catches gives the young quarterback permission to trust his instincts and fire passes into tight windows.

Maye explained how Diggs’ mindset has elevated his comfort level when targeting the veteran in crucial situations. “I think it’s just mindset. It’s attacking the football,” Maye said Thursday. “You know, a guy like that, a guy of his stature who’s caught a lot of touchdowns in this league and made a lot of big plays, he wants to go get the football. He tells me all the time, just, ‘If the ball’s in the air, it’s gonna be mine.’ So I think that it’s comforting hearing that from those guys.”

That confidence isn’t just individual swagger—it’s becoming contagious throughout New England’s receiving corps. Diggs’ approach has created a cultural shift in how the entire position group attacks contested catches. “And I think that’s kind of started to become something in the receiver room, that’s the mindset. The ball’s in the air, go get it. So I think it’s, it’s comfortable hearing that,” Maye added.

The Patriots aren’t lacking size in their passing attack. Tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper provide reliable targets in traffic, while 6-foot-4, 221-pound receiver Mack Hollins returned from the PUP list Thursday to add another big-body option. But Diggs offers something different—the mental edge that separates good receivers from great ones. His presence has already transformed Maye’s red zone confidence, creating the kind of quarterback-receiver trust that championship offenses require.