Not A Terrible Start On Acquisitions to the 90-man Roster

[mgteich]

Chiefs RB Elijah Mitchell continues to impress with preseason touchdown

Elijah Mitchell scores in the Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason finale, adding intrigue to the backfield depth ahead of final roster cuts.

sports.yahoo.com

In addition, almost all the Practice Squad players signed futures contracts (excepting Battle who decided to move on to MIA).

Also, an OT from the past, Gutierrez will compete again for a spot.

 

[Gumby]

Chiefs RB Elijah Mitchell continues to impress with preseason touchdown

Elijah Mitchell scores in the Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason finale, adding intrigue to the backfield depth ahead of final roster cuts.

sports.yahoo.com

In addition, almost all the Practice Squad players signed futures contracts (excepting Battle who decided to move on to MIA).

Also, an OT from the past, Gutierrez will compete again for a spot.

The roster transaction thread:
2026 / 2027 Patriots Roster Transaction Thread

Of which you speak.

Mehhh. Ok guy for a FA RB, but if Gibson is back at 100%, Hendo in year 2, Rham now a solid top-tier commodity….. does this guy have any room at the inn? Depth is always good, so great to have him on the 90, but at this point ANY extra RB kinda mostly gets a yawn from me.
Am I wrong?

 

[mgteich]

The roster transaction thread:
2026 / 2027 Patriots Roster Transaction Thread

Of which you speak.

Mehhh. Ok guy for a FA RB, but if Gibson is back at 100%, Hendo in year 2, Rham now a solid top-tier commodity….. does this guy have any room at the inn? Depth is always good, so great to have him on the 90, but at this point ANY extra RB kinda mostly gets a yawn from me.
Am I wrong?

you are not wrong
Of course, we need to have camp bodies and protection against injury.

My preference is to acquire an experience #3 RB who is very good in short yardage situations. Now, 3rd or 4th and 2 is more than likely to be an automatic passing down.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Hendo…won’t lie, kind of disappointed.

Seems to be just fast and that’s it.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Hendo…won’t lie, kind of disappointed.

Seems to be just fast and that’s it.

Get him an oline and watch him fly. This oline was an improvement from last year but the bar was very low.

 

[TommyD4207]

Hendo…won’t lie, kind of disappointed.

Seems to be just fast and that’s it.

Rookie. Used to running behind 5-stars, and spent this year running behind 3-stars at best.
He's the future, your tune will change in time I'm sure.

 

[TommyD4207]

The roster transaction thread:
2026 / 2027 Patriots Roster Transaction Thread

Of which you speak.

Mehhh. Ok guy for a FA RB, but if Gibson is back at 100%, Hendo in year 2, Rham now a solid top-tier commodity….. does this guy have any room at the inn? Depth is always good, so great to have him on the 90, but at this point ANY extra RB kinda mostly gets a yawn from me.
Am I wrong?

1) Gibson's coming off an ACL, there's no real reason to expect he'd be back at all given his age, never mind back at 100%.
2) You always need depth at RB. D'Ernest Johnson shouldn't be getting meaningful snaps in an NFL football game.

 

[Gumby]

1) Gibson's coming off an ACL, there's no real reason to expect he'd be back at all given his age, never mind back at 100%.
2) You always need depth at RB. D'Ernest Johnson shouldn't be getting meaningful snaps in an NFL football game.

Ok, you made me look. Is 27 „old“? Yeah a RB ages quick, but he should have at least 2 good years left (w/o the ACL issue). Especially since 2025 was essentially a non-season.

ACL was early in year. So he should be at least a month ahead of Diggs schedule. …… we’ll see.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Hendo…won’t lie, kind of disappointed.

Seems to be just fast and that’s it.

I kind of blame McD. Get Hendo out in space and he can fly. Run him up the gut and he falls over. So why did we keep running him up the gut?

 

[TommyD4207]

I kind of blame McD. Get Hendo out in space and he can fly. Run him up the gut and he falls over. So why did we keep running him up the gut?

The problem is 'running him up the gut' into a brick wall because your guards and center are getting run over. He only needs a small crease and it's a gash run - but he's not even getting that. Neither is Stevenson, for that matter.

 

[TommyD4207]

Ok, you made me look. Is 27 „old“? Yeah a RB ages quick, but he should have at least 2 good years left (w/o the ACL issue). Especially since 2025 was essentially a non-season.

ACL was early in year. So he should be at least a month ahead of Diggs schedule. …… we’ll see.

He's 28 before training camp, and being a WR with an ACL and a RB with an ACL are two different things (unless you're Adrian Peterson). ACL was October 5th. And yes, 28 is old for a RB, unless you're a hall of famer (Derrick Henry).

 

[Ross12]

Rookie. Used to running behind 5-stars, and spent this year running behind 3-stars at best.
He's the future, your tune will change in time I'm sure.

He needs to learn to identify and hit the hole better, and the line needs to open holes better. Ideally, both happen simultaneously next year and he has a big leap.

Edit: Also… this is a 2nd round pick who had over 1100 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season, averaged almost 5.5 yards per touch and was fourth on the team in receptions. That’s a friggin’ good rookie year people. Let’s set a reasonable bar here.

 

[Toofy]

He needs to learn to identify and hit the hole better, and the line needs to open holes better. Ideally, both happen simultaneously next year and he has a big leap.

Edit: Also… this is a 2nd round pick who had over 1100 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season, averaged almost 5.5 yards per touch and was fourth on the team in receptions. That’s a friggin’ good rookie year people. Let’s set a reasonable bar here.

I just feel it's recency bias because the offense sputtered big time in playoffs . So though we reached the Superbowl bowl. The last four games if you treat it as an extension of regular season leading to this year, there were more questions than positives.

Henderson - after the mid season spurt, just came to screeching halt and was literally useless over last 7 games . If he were a 7th round pick , there might be more questions marks over his place the second season.

I think that's why you see a kind of ambivalence with most fans. We don't know which version will come up next season. Maybe it was just the Oline which screwed everyone . So lets see .

If the left side of line was the biggest culprit, Vrabel will need to do a lot more to keep the team together . Wilson and Campbell need to do a lot more this off- season or there is a possibility we lose the team . People might not say out loud, but it will be whispered across. Barmore was the only one who told it openly.

 

[Real fan 02]

I just feel it's recency bias because the offense sputtered big time in playoffs . So though we reached the Superbowl bowl. The last four games if you treat it as an extension of regular season leading to this year, there were more questions than positives.

Henderson - after the mid season spurt, just came to screeching halt and was literally useless over last 7 games . If he were a 7th round pick , there might be more questions marks over his place the second season.

I think that's why you see a kind of ambivalence with most fans. We don't know which version will come up next season. Maybe it was just the Oline which screwed everyone . So lets see .

If the left side of line was the biggest culprit, Vrabel will need to do a lot more to keep the team together . Wilson and Campbell need to do a lot more this off- season or there is a possibility we lose the team . People might not say out loud, but it will be whispered across. Barmore was the only one who told it openly.

Good points. I'll add that the rookies especially Henderson and Campbell were huge reasons why for a large part of the season the offense was able to function and allow for big plays like Henderson provided.. that's what he is a big play back.. some games he doesn't have the plays some games he does.. however he was a rookie and he had a excellent rookie season.. something to build off same with Campbell.. was solid in pass protection and had his best game if the season week 5 at Buffalo IMO..

Vrabel recently said Campbell is the LT and isn't moving to another spot...

The team is set up to be a contender.. they have pending FA who most are easily attainable to resign.. and they all openly expressed how they want to stay here..

Drake will be going into year 3 and year 2 in Josh's system.. year 2 for Campbell, Woodson, Wilson Henderson..

Expected additions in FA to address needs and depth.. Hard for me as a fan to really nit pick because they we're never if you listened to the pre season talk suppoes to win more than 6 games... according to the " experts "

 

[Real fan 02]

Hendo…won’t lie, kind of disappointed.

Seems to be just fast and that’s it.

911 all purpose yards... 9 TDs.. really and truly for a rookie season hard for me to complain about as a fan... I get the postseason.. no one on offense really was all that in the playoffs..

 

[TomPatriot]

911 all purpose yards... 9 TDs.. really and truly for a rookie season hard for me to complain about as a fan... I get the postseason.. no one on offense really was all that in the playoffs..

I think he had 1132 all purpose yards; 911 rushing and 221 receiving. Pretty good rookie year.

 

[Real fan 02]

I think he had 1132 all purpose yards; 911 rushing and 221 receiving. Pretty good rookie year.

Ah.. yes Tom.. your correct.. 911 rushing... absolutely he was Phenomenal.. was one of the main reasons the offense was able to have big play abilities.. all the rookies project to continue to get better..

 

[DaBruinz]

I think he had 1132 all purpose yards; 911 rushing and 221 receiving. Pretty good rookie year.

The one issue that I had with Henderson is that he rarely is looking to see if the running lane is there. He seems to be just plowing into it.

There were a few times that if he'd bounced either let or right a lane, it would have gone for big yardage.. Hopefully that will improve in time. However, i remember saying something similar about Michel and Maroney way back..

 

[Triumph]

Hendo…won’t lie, kind of disappointed.

Seems to be just fast and that’s it.

It makes no sense running him up the middle like Earl Campbell.

Out in space is where Hendo thrives. Throw him the ball more and let him pick up YAC.

 

[Triumph]

Id like to see NE sign a Power RB for battering ram situations like 1 yard to gain and goalline calls.