Patriots have TreVeyon Henderson problem & no real solution

The New England Patriots may have a difficult offensive problem on their hands with TreVeyon Henderson. The second-year running back remains one of the team’s most explosive weapons as both a runner and receiver, but his struggles in pass protection at the NFL level are making it increasingly difficult for the Patriots to keep him on the field in obvious passing situations.

TreVeyon Henderson got an 8.6 grade in pass pro tonight.

8.6 out of 100.

Was also the worst graded Patriot on offense.

Completely unplayable in passing situations.

https://t.co/YoixTXvACs

— Savage (@Savageboston) October 23, 2026

This creates a problem that doesn’t have an easy solution. Henderson’s pass-protection issues were on full display Thursday night against the Chicago Bears.

MORE:Bold predictions for Week 7 of 2026 NFL season

Henderson’s explosiveness creates a difficult dilemma

The frustrating part for New England is that Henderson has legitimate playmaking ability. The Patriots drafted him because of his explosiveness, speed, and ability to contribute as both a runner and receiver. Taking that element away from the offense would make the Patriots considerably easier to defend.

But if Henderson cannot be trusted in pass protection, defenses can adjust accordingly.

When he enters the game, opposing defenses can sell out to stop the run if they know New England is unlikely to ask him to stay in and block on passing downs. That creates predictability for an offense built around Drake Maye, particularly when defenses are already trying to generate pressure against a Patriots offensive line dealing with injuries.

The issue has been apparent beyond Thursday night. Henderson has struggled to earn the coaching staff’s trust in the passing game, while Rhamondre Stevenson has remained the more reliable option in those situations.

MORE:Predicting upsets in Week 7 of NFL season

Vrabel and Patriots don’t have an obvious answer

The obvious alternative is Stevenson, but that creates another problem. Stevenson is clearly New England’s most trusted running back and has been heavily involved in the passing game. The Patriots’ running back depth behind Stevenson and Henderson is not particularly strong, and head coach Mike Vrabel knows this.

Stevenson also cannot realistically play every offensive snap. Even if the Patriots prefer him in obvious passing situations, they still need Henderson’s explosiveness to keep the offense from becoming one-dimensional.

That leaves New England in an uncomfortable position. Keeping Henderson on the field risks giving defenses a reason to anticipate the play call. Taking him off the field in passing situations makes the offense more predictable and puts an even greater workload on Stevenson.

There is no perfect answer right now. The Patriots need Henderson to become substantially more reliable as a pass blocker, because simply removing one of their most explosive offensive players from passing situations isn’t a sustainable solution. Until that changes, New England has a legitimate TreVeyon Henderson problem with no obvious fix.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —