New England Patriots
“He’s been working extremely hard to come back, and we’ll see where that goes here today.”
TreVeyon Henderson has not practiced for the Patriots since Aug. 24. John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe
September 7, 2026 | 5:59 PM
3 minutes to read
The New England Patriots might be without one of their most explosive weapons on offense Wednesday as part of their anticipated rematch against the Seattle Seahawks.
Patriots second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson again did not practice on Monday in Foxborough, putting his availability in question for Wednesday’s season opener in Seattle.
New England’s official injury report on Monday noted that Henderson didn’t participate in practice, but did not officially rule him out for Wednesday’s game against the defending Super Bowl champions.
It’s worth noting that New England already ruled out backup offensive lineman Ben Brown for Wednesday’s game against Seattle due to a knee injury, with the 28-year-old lineman not making the trip out to the West Coast as a result.
The fact that New England hasn’t outright designated Henderson as “out” for Wednesday at least offers a slim chance that the dynamic running back could play in Seattle.
“We’ll see how he feels [Monday],” Mike Vrabel said ahead of practice on Henderson’s expected availability. “We’ll see if he can do anything. He’s been working extremely hard to come back, and we’ll see where that goes here today. We do have a few more days before [Wednesday’s game], but we’ll just see what he can do today.
The odds aren’t exactly working in Henderson and the Patriots’ favor, with the 2025 second-round pick missing all of New England’s practices after suffering an ankle injury on Aug. 24.
During a spirited practice on the lower practice fields behind the New Balance Athletics Center, Henderson slipped on the slick grass playing surface and pulled up with an injury. He ultimately left the session early.
The loss of Henderson would be a setback for a Patriots team looking to open the season with a statement win against a Seattle team that ended New England’s 2025 campaign on a sour note in Super Bowl LX.
Despite Henderson’s rookie struggles when it comes to pass blocking and vision, his speed makes him a home-run hitter on New England’s offense — with the Ohio State product recording 911 rushing yards, 221 receiving yards, and 10 total touchdowns last year.
If Henderson can’t play on Wednesday, expect a lion’s share of New England’s reps in the ground game to go to Rhamondre Stevenson, who served as the Patriots’ lead back down the stretch in 2025 and put together a very strong training camp.
“I think that there is a consistency,” Vrabel said of Stevenson’s play so far in camp. “I think that we have talked about his protection in the past, and that’ll be critical, I am sure, Wednesday night, as it will be every night. I think that is probably one of the things I appreciate the most about him. Certainly, I love the ability to catch the football and run with it and create X plays, but also, I think that the protection for me is what stands out.”
While Henderson remains sidelined, the Patriots got good news elsewhere on the practice field.
Defensive lineman Christian Barmore — who missed Sunday’s practice due to a knee injury — was a participant on Monday. Barmore is expected to be one of the key cogs in New England’s defense while lined up alongside Milton Williams.
Barmore operated on a lighter practice schedule last season after dealing with blood-clotting issues earlier in his NFL career, with Vrabel noting that the Patriots might follow a similar routine this year.
“I think that this is something that we’ve, if you followed last year, we’ve probably managed throughout the season,” Vrabel said. “I respect how Christian prepares when he’s not out there, and we try to give him exactly what he needs.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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