Do Pats need more bang for their buck in RB room? Curran, Perry discuss originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Much has been made about the New England Patriots’ glaring needs at wide receiver and along the offensive line. Those are understandably the organization’s primary focuses heading into the offseason, but another offensive position group needs addressing this spring.
Running back is a sneaky offseason priority for the Patriots, as our Tom E. Curran explained in his 2025 roster reset series. With Rhamondre Stevenson coming off back-to-back disappointing campaigns, Curran believes it’s time to consider a change.
“I think the Patriots should look at trading Rhamondre Stevenson and his modest-but-still-significant contract to a team that could better use him,” Curran said on the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.
Stevenson fumbled seven times during the tumultuous 2024 season. The 2021 fourth-round draft pick averaged 3.9 yards per carry over 15 games.
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Curran’s co-host, fellow NBC Sports Boston Patriots insider Phil Perry, isn’t opposed to the idea of trading Stevenson for draft capital.
“I think that’s fair,” Perry replied. “I don’t hate your logic at all, especially if they can get something in return for him. This is a guy that I think the team felt was the type of player they were going to build around. Listen, he’s not in a great situation, but none of these running backs have them. You talk about Antonio Gibson, you talk about Ezekiel Elliott. Why has he not clearly been better than those guys?
“I guess you could say, ‘Well, they just need to get him an offensive line and he’ll be much better.’ Then where’s the value in the running back if you need to surround him with these pieces in order for him to succeed? How valuable is he really to you?”
So, how would the Patriots hypothetically go about replacing Stevenson? Aaron Jones, Najee Harris, Nick Chubb, and JK Dobbins highlight the running backs set to become free agents, but Curran is eyeing the No. 1 back in this year’s draft class.
“The Patriots could drop jaws by taking running back Ashton Jeanty at fourth overall out of Boise State,” Curran said. “Almost broke Barry Sanders’ rushing record, he’s ranked top-four on Mel Kiper’s big board, number nine on Field Yates’ big board. Or, they could take a guy like Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina. Big back, certainly an every-down bell-cow build.”
Jeanty rushed for a whopping 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns for Boise State last season. His game-breaking ability has Perry intrigued by the possibility of the Patriots taking him in the first round.
“He loves the comparisons he gets to Emmitt Smith, and you understand why,” Perry said. “Compact guy, breaks a lot of tackles, he’s a good athlete. He’s not Jahmyr Gibbs maybe in terms of his explosiveness or straight-line speed, but yeah, everything we’ve seen from him as a college player and what we know about what translates from the college game to the pro game at that position, it seems like he’s gonna be really good. Really productive.”
Also in the episode:
Is the Tee Higgins dream dead?
Is RB a sneaky offseason priority for the Patriots?
Is drafting a RB the right move?
Need for a third QB?
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