FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Henderson's status: Running back TreVeyon Henderson played in every regular-season and playoff game during his rookie season in 2025, giving the Patriots a speedy option who was a threat to score on any one play.
So the uncertainty regarding his status for Wednesday's season opener at the Seattle Seahawks (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) -- due to an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice since Aug. 24 -- is the type of adversity he hasn't been accustomed to in the NFL. It also sparks a question: If Henderson doesn't play or is limited in what he can do, how do the Patriots handle the running back repetitions?
Rhamondre Stevenson would have been the clear-cut starter regardless, just as he was last season when he played 46 snaps in the opener to Henderson's 25. Stevenson said he came out of training camp feeling great physically. His knack for blitz pickup has earned him the highest degree of confidence from the coaching staff, with coach Mike Vrabel saying Saturday that "the way he finished last year was exciting."
"I love the way that Rhamondre protects," Vrabel said early in training camp. "If you have backs that can pick up pressure, it's one thing to be able to get over there and know where the pressure is coming from. It's another [thing] to go block them."
The only other running back on the 53-man roster is first-year player Corey Kiner, whom the Patriots acquired in a trade from the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 28 to fill the void created when Terrell Jennings was placed on injured reserve Aug. 13. Vrabel mentioned the Patriots had attempted to sign Kiner ("a good young runner") after the 2025 draft when he instead went to the 49ers. Kiner (5-foot-9, 209 pounds) has four games and 30 offensive snaps of NFL experience, so thrusting him into an expanded role in a frenzied Seattle environment just 13 days after he joined the Patriots would be asking a lot.
That's why Lan Larison (5-11, 209) and/or Hassan Haskins (6-2, 228) have a strong chance to be elevated from the practice squad. Larison, a second-year player from UC Davis, spent last season on injured reserve (foot) after initially signing with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent. Haskins is a four-year veteran who broke into the NFL on Vrabel's Tennessee Titans squad in 2023.
Larison gets the edge in terms of background in coordinator Josh McDaniels' system (critical with pass protection in mind), while Haskins would be the pick if NFL experience (44 games) was deemed a priority. Both factor into the mix on special teams, especially on punt protection, which is an area the Patriots have spent countless hours practicing throughout the summer.
"Guys have different strengths. There's a little bit of everything, and we'll see who we end up using for the game," Vrabel said.
Henderson totaled 911 yards on 180 carries (5.1 average) in the 2025 regular season, with nine touchdowns. He became the first player in team history to have four 50-yard runs or rushing touchdowns in a single season, while adding nine receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown.
The Patriots focused on their first- and second-down game plan in Thursday's practice without him. And then on Saturday, they worked with full shoulder pads and blocked and hit, according to QB Drake Maye.
A Stevenson-Henderson one-two punch, with the addition of veteran free agent fullback Reggie Gilliam, had the Patriots feeling good about the potential of the running game throughout training camp. Then Henderson injured his ankle, clouding the outlook for the NFL's opener.
2. Thin at OLB: Arguably the biggest surprise heading into the season is how light the roster and practice squad look at outside linebacker, especially with Vrabel saying it wasn't a surprise to him that veteran Harold Landry III is starting the season on the physically unable to perform list -- meaning Landry will miss a minimum of four games.
Dre'Mont Jones and Elijah Ponder are the starters, with rookies Gabe Jacas (second round) and Quintayvious Hutchins (seventh round) the top backups and Jose Ramirez (four career games played with Buccaneers in 2024) on the practice squad. Asked what he likes about the group on sports radio WEEI, Vrabel noted Jones' veteran presence, Ponder's consistency and then "daily improvement" from Jacas and Hutchins.
The possibility that Jacas and Hutchins are one snap away from a front-line defensive role is a reminder of how important it will be for the Patriots to avoid injuries, which was a key to their 2025 success.
3. A.J mentors Jacas: Receiver A.J. Brown remembers how hard Vrabel was on him as a rookie with the Titans in 2019, and he sees some similarities to how rookie Jacas is being coached by Vrabel this year. So, Brown recently approached Jacas to have a chat.
"Vrabel is on him -- really tough. I'll be sitting in my chair laughing, just to see the process and witness it all over again," Brown said. "I don't have any worries for Gabe; he's been locked in. Hopefully my words help."
4. 'We are firemen': The latest episode of the Patriots-produced "Forged in Foxborough" was released late last week, with the behind-the-scenes look into team meetings and Vrabel's messaging among the notable highlights. Vrabel showed the team boxing trainer Teddy Atlas' "We are firemen" corner speech to amplify the identity he hopes to create. There were also clips of Vrabel calling out Brown and defensive tackle Milton Williams, showing that he holds some of the team's best players accountable in front of everyone.
The Atlas speech hit home with defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III.
"It's about staying laser focused to put out the fire," he said. "It's going into this week with a mindset that we need everybody -- you can't put out the fire with just one person."
5. Gonzo looms: When it comes to cornerback Christian Gonzalez and the Patriots negotiating a contract extension, Vrabel said Saturday that he doesn't get involved in negotiations but takes an active role "in trying to get the situation resolved." He referred to it as a "delicate balance."
Gonzalez said Saturday that he didn't have anything to share on where negotiations stand, and Vrabel -- who expressed how he wants to coach Gonzalez -- didn't budge when asked if he felt a resolution was close.
"I think whenever the deal is done, that's when it'll be resolved. I don't have a timetable," Vrabel said.
6. Crownover's kudos: On the upcoming episode of the "Patriots All Access" show that airs Tuesday on the team website, Vrabel said he showed one play from a 37-13 loss in the preseason finale to the team. It was rookie offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover's effort following an interception when he sprinted to take out one Browns player before making the tackle. Vrabel noted it came with the team trailing with four minutes left, and that Crownover's play was the type to earn instant respect from veterans.
A sixth-round pick from Texas A&M who is No. 4 on the offensive tackle depth chart, Crownover was pumped to be recognized in front of his peers.
"We're trying to set a point for our effort and finish -- knowing you're never giving up on a play. In the meeting room, when you get called out by the head coach for that, it's a good feeling," he said.
7. Waiver claims: The Patriots were 31st in the waiver claim order after cut-down day, so it was reasonable to expect they would miss out on some of their targets. Turns out they didn't.
League sources said the Patriots were the only team to put in a claim on the following five players: edge rusher Jamal Hill (Texans), tight end Cameron Latu (Eagles) and linebackers Shaka Heyward (Bengals), Erick Hunter (Lions) and Darius Muasau (Giants). They were awarded Muasau and Latu, and pulled back their claims on Heyward, Hunter and Hill. They signed Hunter a few days later.
8. Sudden change: Muasau, a third-year player out of UCLA, said he was in the process of signing with the Giants' practice squad when he received a call from Vrabel informing him the Patriots were giving him a spot on their 53-man roster instead.
"Crazy feeling," he said.
There are two key connections for the Hawaiian-born Muasau -- he played under New England defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr (2024) and analyst Shane Bowen (2025) in New York -- so he noted his learning curve in the system isn't too challenging.
9. Did You Know, Part I: The Patriots have played 12 previous games on Sept. 9, the most games the franchise has played on any calendar date. New England enters this year's Sept. 9 opener at Seattle having won its past five games played on the date, with victories over the Steelers (2002), Colts (2004), Jets (2007), Texans (2018) and Titans (2021).
10. Did You Know, Part II: Among the 12 games played on Sept. 9 are the Patriots' first-ever regular-season game in 1960 (13-10 loss to the Broncos) at Boston University Field, and the first-ever regular-season game at Gillette Stadium in 2002 -- a 30-14 win over the Steelers when the team unfurled its first Super Bowl championship banner.
