Patriots second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson had a terrific rookie training camp in New England.
The Ohio State product dazzled with his electric play speed: wheel routes, double moves as a flexed out receiver, runs to the outside, and kick returns were all on the menu. On his first NFL touch, Henderson returned the opening kickoff of the Patriots preseason for a 100-yard return touchdown. Later that August, the Pats were in Minnesota for joint practices with the Vikings. His speed was on full display as he ran down the left sideline for a 70-yard touchdown, which led to Vikings DC Brian Flores telling Patriots legend Devin McCourty he was "blown away" by the young running back. During the summer, Henderson looked like a star in the making for the Patriots.
However, the 38th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft had a slower start to his first regular season in the league. In the first seven games, Henderson averaged just 4.3 yards per touch with his longest play from scrimmage being a 15-yard catch vs. the Dolphins in Week 2. Among running backs with at least 50 touches, Henderson's 252 total scrimmage yards were the fourth-fewest in the first seven weeks. The rookie had some struggles with vision and patience between the tackles, while his elite pass-blocking skills in college took some time to translate to the pros.
Over the last few weeks, Henderson has started to find his groove, breaking out for a career-high 75 rushing yards on 10 carries in last week's win vs. the Browns. Henderson had runs of 27 and 18 yards, his two longest plays of the season, and a standout pass block on a 19-yard completion to WR Mack Hollins in the second half. Although his rookie season didn't start as training camp suggested, Henderson kept the faith that he'd eventually break out.
"It felt good," Henderson said of his big game against the Browns. "I've been trusting the Lord's plan and just being patient and just trying to do my part. I'm thankful that this past week went the way that it did, and I've got to give credit to those guys who were doing the dirty work up front as well. The biggest thing is just to look ahead and not dwell on the last game, but to keep working and preparing for this upcoming game."
A big part of Henderson's breakout was usage. After having just 23 such attempts in the first seven weeks, Henderson ran outside the tackles on seven attempts for 68 yards, including two explosive plays vs. the Browns last week. The Pats got their speedy back going by running toss plays. According to OC Josh McDaniels, the tosses were both game-plan related and a shift in approach to get Henderson more opportunities in space.
"I don't think it's a secret that he's fast. He does some really good things with the ball in his hands," McDaniels said on Thursday. "Just so happened that was kind of something that we felt good about last week, considering some of the other circumstances and factors that were going on in the game. I thought he made some really good runs. It wasn't just like run around the corner and nobody's there. I thought he had to make some nice cuts. I thought he fought through some contact. Excited to see him build on that and continue to grow."
Although the outside runs were the big plays, an early inside run to Henderson on the Patriots opening drive set up the rest of his afternoon. In the play, New England runs a "wham" scheme with FB Jack Westover blocking the defensive tackle after C Garrett Bradbury and RG Mike Onwenu purposely let the defender through the line. The Pats blocked the interior run perfectly, leading to a 12-yard gain for Henderson.
Later in the drive, the Patriots line up in the same formation as the play above. This time, New England fakes the inside run action and pitches the ball outside to Henderson, who turns the corner for an 18-yard run with the defense getting sucked into the line of scrimmage by the fake. The Patriots then ran a crack toss scheme on the first drive of the second half, which got Henderson into space again. The rookie adds yards by breaking the safety's tackle as the last line of defense, adding 15 yards after contact on a 27-yard run.
"I think the goal of that is to try and get out in space and stretch the defense compared to the other handoffs where you're running between the tackles and trying to get those dirty yards," Henderson said. "They've been trying to give me more opportunities to get out into space. I'm grateful that I was able to get those opportunities and help the team come out with a win."
McDaniels's sequencing, some good vision in space, and ability to run through contact led to better results in last Sunday's win. Henderson has also steadily improved as a pass blocker in recent weeks.
For all young running backs, pass blocking is arguably the hardest thing to learn in the NFL. Patriots RBs coach Tony Dews explained that the growing pains all young players go through are harder on the player than the coaches, who expect rookies to have a learning curve once they make it to professional football. The Patriots system often asks the backs to dual-read, meaning they're reading two different potential blitzers and then making a post-snap decision on who to block based on who is the nearest threat to the quarterback. Due to its complexities, New England has redshirted some rookie running backs in the past, including receiving back James White, who only appeared in three games as a rookie while sitting behind then-receiving back Shane Vereen.
"We expect there to be a learning curve. It takes time because the level of competition is different. Guys are veterans who are a little more savvy, so we expect there to be a transition," Dews said. "Each week, we make a cutup for them of the linebackers or DBs that we're going to play against. I make tapes of their blitzes and show them the different moves. We'll watch it together, but they also have it to study and watch on their own."
Henderson's skills in pass protection are improving. Above, he forgoes a fake on the play-action pass when he sees the safety blitzing off the right edge to keep the quarterback protected in the pocket. Henderson's block allows QB Drake Maye to keep his eyes downfield, where Hollins is separating against man coverage on a crossing route for a chunk gain.
The fact that Henderson has earned the coaches' trust to be on the field in passing situations is a testament to his high-end skills in pass protection. As a college prospect, many considered the former Buckeye to be the best pass-blocking back in his class and maybe one of the best pass-blocking prospects in recent memory. Since struggling with it early on, Henderson hasn't allowed a single pressure over the last two weeks in three pass-blocking snaps. Along with learning the Patriots pass protection rules, Henderson said the way NFL blitzers rush was an adjustment compared to the college game.
"These guys aren't just a bunch of bull rushers. They come with a lot of different moves and a lot of different tools. So, it's more just being patient, learning when it's the right time to strike, and making sure that you're moving your feet," Henderson said. "These guys get paid to get to the quarterback. They're going to do everything they can to get there."
Hopefully, last week's performance was a sign that it's all starting to come together for Henderson at a time when the Patriots need the rookie to flourish. Earlier this season, veteran RB Antonio Gibson was lost for the season due to a significant knee injury. This week, top RB Rhamondre Stevenson was held out of practice by a toe injury, putting his status for Sunday's home game against the Falcons in doubt. Without their two vets, Henderson is in line to be the lead-back on Sunday.
"The natural progression is guys continue to grow, they continue to work, they get used to seeing different things, they get used to seeing different looks," Dews added. "Hopefully, they continue to improve, and that's what's been happening. He gets a little better each week."
The Patriots also made several roster moves this week, with injuries starting to test their running back depth, signing RB Terrell Jennings to the 53-man roster while adding veteran D'Ernest Johnson to the practice squad. Johnson was recently released from the Cardinals practice squad and quickly got the call from New England to join the Patriots. The seventh-year pro has had some notable performances with two career 100-yard games, while rushing for 99 yards on 19 carries in a loss to the Patriots in 2021. According to various reports, the Patriots are also monitoring the running back market heading into next week's trade deadline (Nov. 4).
Although the Patriots are keeping their options open, none of those moves will likely significantly affect Henderson's usage. As a rookie second-round pick, the 23-year-old is a major part of New England's long-term plans on offense while Henderson continues to have a role as a kick returner. With his game-breaking speed adding a big-play element, Henderson is on an upward trajectory, which is huge for the Patriots.
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