Patriots Playmaker is Obvious Trade Piece, But Will Teams Bite?

The New England Patriots made sure to address their weaponry in the NFL Draft, selecting running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Kyle Williams in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.

While the backfield didn't seem like an incredibly pressing need for the Patriots, which had some wondering why they used such an early pick on Henderson, the fact that Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled seven times last season while averaging 3.9 yards per carry seems like a strong justification.

Now, it seems like Henderson has a legitimate chance to steal New England's starting running back job heading into 2025, and Michael DeVito of Musket Fire feels that Stevenson could comprise a potential trade candidate after June 1 as a result.

"Stevenson should be a trade candidate after June 1st. Then, his dead cap hit will only be $1.6M and the team will save nearly $4M on the cap," DeVito wrote. "He didn't justify his big contract, and [Mike] Vrabel is building a new model. Players who don't live up to their end of the bargain after getting paid should be shown the door. A trade after June 1st is Vrabel's best option."

Stevenson signed a four-year, $36 million contract extension last spring, but there is a potential out built into his deal after 2026. That means whoever acquires the 27-year-old would be on the hook for the next two years, which carry cap hits of $5.5 million and $7.6 million, respectively.

For a player who has struggled with efficiency and ball security over the last couple of seasons, that doesn't exactly make him a very attractive asset, even with the loophole in his contract.

Now, it should be noted that Stevenson's first two NFL campaigns in 2021 and 2022 were solid, especially the latter year in which he racked up 1,040 yards and five touchdowns while logging five yards per attempt. However, there is also a chance that that player no longer exists.