Former Chiefs preseason darling gets surprise NFL lifeline with Patriots

Deneric Prince knows something about being a training camp darling. He also knows it doesn't necessarily mean an automatic spot on a 53-man roster.

Since his tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs, Prince has shuffled through teams and leagues—yes, leagues—with a determination to keep his playing career alive. The New England Patriots are the latest team to offer him a chance in the league after signing him to a contract following the first round of preseason games.

The move came after the Pats placed rookie running back Lan Larrison on injured reserve, amid a few other roster moves on Sunday.

Deneric Prince has changed leagues and teams in the hopes of keeping his NFL dreams alive.

Despite earning plenty of preseason hype with the Kansas City Chiefs two years ago, Prince went from beloved rookie free agent sleeper to waived running back when active roster cuts were due for Brett Veach in 2023. To his credit, he earned a spot on the team's practice squad after going unclaimed, and he even played in two regular season games.

In 2024, Prince returned to K.C. with a futures deal in hand and stayed with the team for the duration of the offseason and preseason before being cut for the final time. The Miami Dolphins offered him a practice squad slot last year but he was never promoted to the active roster.

This winter, Prince gave the UFL a try, and he had a strong showing with the Memphis Showboats as a well-rounded back who ran for 380 yards, caught 18 passes for another 110 yards, and returned 11 kickoffs.

Prince, who is 25 years old, averaged 5.5 yards/carry through three full seasons at Tulsa with 17 total rushing scores in that span. He returned only four kicks in his sophomore season, so perhaps his ability to add some return duties to his resume makes him a bit more attractive for NFL teams in his bid to return to the league.

The Patriots have Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson atop the depth chart with former Washington Commanders back Antonio Gibson behind them. Larison was next on the depth chart. Now Prince will compete against Terrell Jennings and JaMycal Hasty for reps in the next preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.