The New England Patriots' backfield is suddenly pretty crowded, as they selected TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the NFL Draft to add him to a group that already included Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson and Terrell Jennings.
While Stevenson and Gibson are basically guaranteed to make the 53-man roster (barring a trade), Jennings' roster spot is not quite as concrete.
The 24-year-old ended last season on the Patriots' NFL squad, playing in three games and carrying the ball 13 times for 33 yards.
However, Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit does not envision that Jennings will find a way on to the roster for Week 1 of the 2025 campaign.
"Even though he ended the 2024 as the Patriots’ third running back, Jennings realistically will fight for a practice squad spot rather than the active roster this summer," Buchmasser wrote. "That does not automatically mean he won’t have a long-term future in Foxborough, but his outlook seems less clear than that of other running backs currently in the room."
It should also be noted that New England picked up undrafted rookie Lan Larison to compete for a spot in the backfield, which further clouds Jennings' future in Foxborough.
Jennings spent four seasons at Florida A&M before going undrafted last year. He didn't post the most impressive numbers in college, with his best season coming in 2023 when he registered 674 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
The six-foot halfback is not overly impressive in any one particular area, but he is a pretty balanced runner who could potentially carve out a niche as a backup somewhere. It might just not be with the Pats, who are surely going to prioritize Henderson in 2025.
Now, there is a chance that the Patriots trade Gibson, so if that occurs, perhaps Jennings will get some playing time in the fall.
