The injury bug made its way into the New England Patriots’ backfield.
With starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined for a second straight game, fourth-stringer Terrell Jennings received four carries Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before he suffered a knee injury. Jennings, who initially was deemed questionable four minutes into the second quarter, did not return.
TreVeyon Henderson came up limping late in the third quarter, thrusting D’Ernest Johnson onto the field on a fourth-and-5 in a one-possession game. It was a pivotal spot for a player who essentially is serving as a fifth-stringer. New England failed to convert. Fortunately, Henderson returned on the next possession and helped the Patriots run away with a seventh straight win.
Both Stevenson (toe) and Jennings (knee) were limited participants in Monday’s walk-through session ahead of a Week 11 matchup against the Jets on Thursday night.
“Depth at that spot seems dicey,” Patriots insider Phil Perry wrote in his Patriots Stock Watch column.
What might be the team’s next move at running back? Did Henderson do enough to solidify his spot as New England’s starter? Let’s break it down.
Current state of RB room:
Stevenson, who opened the season as New England’s starter, has been sidelined with a toe injury since Week 8. His injury took place after second-string running back Antonio Gibson suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 5.
Henderson appears to be the only healthy running back on New England’s 53-man roster.
Johnson, who was signed to the practice squad at the same time Jennings was elevated to the 53-man roster, was elevated each of the last two weeks. He has one elevation remaining and would need to be signed to the 53-man roster in order to play a fourth game.
Undrafted rookie Rushawn Baker is the only other running back on the practice squad.
Will the Patriots add?
The Patriots were in this position just a few weeks ago after the season-ending injury to running back Antonio Gibson. Instead of making a trade before the deadline or signing someone off a team’s practice squad, New England elevated Jennings for three straight games before signing him to the 53-man roster.
The Patriots then signed the free-agent Johnson. Given how that played out, there’s reason to believe New England will elevate Johnson again Thursday and sign him to the 53-man roster after his third and final elevation.
But the Patriots could sign a running to their 53-man roster off a team’s practice squad, or sign another free agent to their own practice squad. JaMycal Hasty, an option we floated last month, could make sense given he spent the summer at One Patriot Place. Hasty is on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, but hasn’t received a game-day elevation this season. He’d need to be signed to the 53-man roster.
Some veteran free-agents who could be signed to the practice squad include Zack Moss, Gus Edwards and Jamaal Williams.
Given it’s a short week, though, the Patriots could take the field with Henderson and Johnson as their only options in the backfield.
Did Henderson do enough to earn lead role?
The rookie speedster had a breakout performance in a season-high 84 percent of snaps. He turned 15 touches into 150 yards of offense with 14 rushing attempts for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He saw 15 or more touches for the second consecutive week — he had a season-high 18 in Week 9 against the Falcons.
His success has caused some to wonder whether he’s done enough to take over the lead role from Stevenson.
Not so fast, Perry said.
“Now, does that mean TreVeyon Henderson should be your workhorse back? He should be getting 20-ish carries per game because he’s that kind of player? I still would say, ‘No,” Perry said on Patriots Postgame Live after the win. “I just look at it and say, ‘Boy, what are they gonna do at that position moving forward? I think they really do need Rhamondre Stevenson back.”
Phil Perry, Tom E. Curran and Ted Johnson join Michael Holley to offer instant reaction to the Patriots’ 28-23 win over the Buccaneers.