New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is part of an effort to revive the glory days in Foxborough. However, his injury situation threw a wrench into his attempt to support head coach Mike Vrabel’s run game lately.
Given how important he is in the Patriots’ offense, let’s take a look at the latest updates regarding his injury status to see whether he will play this week.
Will Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson Play in Week 10 Against the Buccaneers?
Last week, on Wednesday, Stevenson missed practice due to a toe injury. While there was no comment from anyone about the situation, some believed it was related to the running back missing the last seven minutes of the Patriots’ win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 8.
Stevenson ended up missing practice on Thursday and Friday as well, with Vrabel soon confirming that the back would miss their Week 9 contest with the Atlanta Falcons, with TreVeyon Henderson taking up an expanded role in New England’s offense.
While there is yet to follow another update on Stevenson’s injury, he is expected to target a return against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. Wednesday could deliver news once the Pats roll into practice.
If his situation hasn’t improved, the versatile Henderson should see continued usage out of the backfield in both the run and pass games. Beyond the rookie, Vrabel also has Terrell Jennings on the active roster. Jennings made his footprint in the Patriots’ 24-23 win over the Falcons by rushing for 35 yards and a touchdown.
D’Ernest Johnson and Rushawn Baker are two other names on the practice squad who could be elevated if a need for more depth arises. However, the nature of Stevenson’s injury doesn’t suggest that he’ll be out for long. Additionally, Henderson and Jennings’s backfield production has proven to be sufficient up to this point.
Vrabel would want his run game, which stands as the offense’s foundation under his rule, to remain stable as the season progresses. After an up-and-down start to the campaign, New England has embarked on a 6-game winning streak that includes a win over the Buffalo Bills on the road.
Leading the AFC East at 7-2, they have a tall task at hand in keeping the dangerous 6-2 Bills at bay in the division. The Pats still have a couple of tough games left in the second half of the season, and they start this week against the Buccaneers, who are ranked 23rd on PFSN’s NFL OFFi.