The New England Patriots come into 2025 with a lot of expectations, with a new coaching staff, quarterback Drake Maye in his second year, and a revamped defense.
There are a lot of players who have caught the eyes of reporters throughout the early part of the offseason with OTAs and minicamp, but one that's flown under the radar a bit is Patriots' veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
The Patriots drafted the four-year veteran in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he's developed a solid career in New England.
Over his four years, he's collected 3,066 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground and used his versatility out of the backfield to reel in 154 receptions for 950 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns.
However, last year Stevenson dealt with ball security issues, fumbling the ball seven times and getting benched periodically because of it.
The Patriots then drafted running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There's a lot of excitement around Henderson in New England, and it has overshadowed Stevenson throughout the offseason.
But the Patriots signed Stevenson to a four-year, $36 million extension in 2024, and he should still see a bulk of the workload in the Patriots' backfield.
Stevenson has already built connections with his new coaching staff, as Josh McDaniels was his play-caller during his rookie season, and running back coach Tony Dews took time to visit Stevenson in Las Vegas this summer as the running back mourned the loss of his father.
With plenty of motivation for Stevenson in 2025, he's also worked on his body this offseason, and it seems to be paying off.
Stevenson recently posted pictures on Instagram of himself working out, and he looks considerably slimmer than he did in 2024.
Stevenson weighed in at 227 pounds last year and looks to have worked hard on a body transformation this offseason, which could lead to more explosiveness and protecting the football.
The Patriots severely struggled in short-yardage plays in 2024, ranking near the bottom of the league, and Stevenson averaged a career-low 3.9 yards per carry. New England beefed up the offensive line this offseason, and a slimmer, more explosive Stevenson could be the answer for the Patriots.
The veteran running back has shown his ability to be a top running back in the past. In his second season, he rushed for over 1,000 yards and averaged five yards per carry. He also added 421 receiving yards on 69 catches that year.
Stevenson and Henderson will likely split time in the backfield for the Patriots in 2025, but
