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Through two weeks, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson hasn\u2019t delivered the coming-out performance some expected when the New England Patriots drafted him in the second round.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s far too early to panic about his long-term future in New England, but Mike Vrabel made it clear where Henderson must improve if he wants to be featured in the offense more: pass protection.<\/p>\n
Coupled with Rhamondre Stevenson\u2019s stellar performance in Week 2, Henderson has ground to make up before the coaching staff is ready to unleash him fully.<\/p>\n
Every rookie\u2019s \u201cwelcome to the league\u201d moment looks different. For many, it comes by taking a big hit.<\/p>\n
Henderson, though, is usually the one delivering those blows. Instead, his early wake-up call has been adjusting to just how fast and powerful NFL pass rushers are.<\/p>\n
In the second quarter against Miami, Henderson allowed a sack and picked up a holding penalty on back-to-back plays. In both instances, he was punished for pursuing too far upfield and was discarded quickly. On the Patriots\u2019 opening drive of the third quarter, he adjusted by taking a better angle to meet a blitzing linebacker, but his feet stalled on contact, and he was beaten clean to the outside.<\/p>\n
Even for a player who faced Big Ten defenses, nothing at the college level fully replicates the speed of NFL pressure. Following his second allowed sack, Henderson saw just two touches the rest of the game.<\/p>\n
Henderson is an excellent athlete himself with a blend of speed and power. And for a player who longtime NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah once called \u201cone of the best pass-protecting running backs I\u2019ve ever seen\u201d during the pre-draft process, there\u2019s reason to believe he\u2019ll improve.<\/p>\n
But for now, he has clear growing pains to work through before he\u2019s trusted with a greater role.<\/p>\n
In Week 2, the highlight of New England\u2019s afternoon came in the third quarter when Drake Maye stepped up through pressure and dropped a dime to Stevenson on a wheel route, resulting in a 55-yard gain.<\/p>\n
During an interview with WEEI on Monday, Vrabel hinted that the play was initially designed for Henderson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a similar play this week in practice, but it was with TreVeyon,\u201d Vrabel said. Then came the message: \u201cWe can\u2019t let negative plays snowball on us\u201d.<\/p>\n
Henderson had already flashed on a similar play, hauling in a 15-yard wheel route in the second quarter. But Stevenson\u2019s explosion exemplified the additional opportunities that come when a running back can do it all.<\/p>\n
Stevenson checked every box in Week 2. He ran through contact, held his own in pass protection, and displayed receiving ability that was absent from his game last season. Beyond the 55-yarder, he also converted a third-and-long in the fourth quarter by making a defender miss and grinding out a first down on a screen.<\/p>\n
It was the full skill set that inspired New England to make him one of the league\u2019s six highest-paid running backs last offseason. For Henderson, Stevenson\u2019s performance is both competition and a model to follow.<\/p>\n
Henderson\u2019s role doesn\u2019t have to be about carrying the entire backfield. In fact, his most impactful season came last year at Ohio State, when he split touches with Quinshon Judkins and averaged a career-best 7.6 yards per touch en route to a national championship.<\/p>\n
That experience makes him well-suited for New England\u2019s current setup. Between Henderson, Stevenson, and Antonio Gibson, the Patriots have one of the deepest running back rooms in the league.<\/p>\n
The challenge for Henderson is making sure his weaknesses don\u2019t overshadow his strengths. If he can steady his pass protection, he\u2019ll give New England three distinct weapons to rotate and maximize.<\/p>\n
Despite the underwhelming start, Henderson isn\u2019t drastically behind the rest of his rookie class. Through two weeks, no first-year running back has cracked 100 rushing yards.<\/p>\n
Henderson\u2019s snap count dipped from 25 in Week 1 to just 19 in Week 2, per Pro Football Reference. In total, his 44 snaps are good for just 34% of New England\u2019s offensive plays.<\/p>\n
While it doesn\u2019t feel like a lot given the preseason expectations, he\u2019s actually ahead of his second-round counterparts. His former Ohio State teammate Judkins logged only 20 snaps in his Week 2 debut with Cleveland, while Denver\u2019s RJ Harvey has totaled 41 across two contests.<\/p>\n
But the contrast is clear compared to the first-round backs Henderson was grouped with entering the season. Las Vegas\u2019 Ashton Jeanty has already logged 93 offensive snaps (70%), and Los Angeles\u2019 Omarion Hampton has been on the field for 88 (72%).<\/p>\n
For Henderson, the takeaway isn\u2019t about matching Jeanty or Hampton\u2019s volume. It\u2019s about proving he can handle the details that keep him on the field. If he does, his explosiveness in a shared backfield could add a dynamic element to the Patriots, making him a threat as both a runner and receiver.<\/p>\n
Henderson\u2019s early hurdles may have slowed his start, but they don\u2019t erase the upside he brings.<\/p>\n
He has the tools to be a true dual threat out of the backfield\u2014the speed to hit home runs, the power to finish runs, and the hands to contribute as a receiver. Once he steadies his pass protection, he has every chance to grow into an every-down weapon.<\/p>\n
The Patriots didn\u2019t draft him in the second round for nothing.<\/p>\n
The breakout hasn\u2019t come yet, but the door is wide open. Now it\u2019s up to Henderson to step through it.<\/p>\n
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel highlighted an area where running back TreVeyon Henderson needs to improve before assuming a larger role in the offe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":95724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n