New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has a plantaris tendon injury in his knee and is expected to “miss the next few weeks,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported the injury, but that it’s expected to “sideline him for a short period of time.” It’s not clear from the reports what Stevenson’s timeline actually is, but it sounds like he could miss multiple games.
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Details about the nature of the injury and how he sustained it are also sparse, but it leaves an already shorthanded Patriots backfield even thinner.
TreVeyon Henderson is sidelined indefintely with what he announced last week was “an unexpected and unusual medical emergency involving a series of unexplained neurological symptoms” that required several days in the hospital. He noted that tests have “come back positive and reassuring,” but it’s unclear when or if he’ll return to the Patriots this season.
With Stevenson and Henderson sidelined, Corey Kiner is line to take on the role of lead back in New England. The second-year back has 244 yards and one touchdown on 4.9 yards per carry this season and had overtaken Henderson in the pecking order before Henderson was sidelined.
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It’s not clear if the Patriots will seek to bolster the backfield in the trade market. If so, they’ll have to act quick ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
The Patriots are coming of a 45-27 loss to the Packers on Sunday that dropped them to 5-4. That has them in line for the final wild-card berth in the AFC as of Monday.