The New England Patriots suffered a huge blow in their thrilling victory against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday, as running back Antonio Gibson sustained a torn ACL. Gibson played a key role as the team’s backup running back and kickoff returner through five games, recording 106 rushing yards on 25 carries, one rushing touchdown, and one kickoff return for a touchdown.

With Gibson out, the Patriots must find another running back, as they currently have only two on the active roster. Terrell Jennings, who’s on the team’s practice squad, is the likely candidate to fill that empty slot. Jennings received praise from head coach Mike Vrabel during Wednesday’s presser, as the head coach pointed out the traits that helped the RB stick around New England. Vrabel noted on Jennings’ toughness, ability to contribute on special teams, and being a great teammate as reasons why he is being considered for the active roster.

Jennings, 24, has been on the Patriots’ practice squad since last season. The RB appeared in only three games in 2024, rushing for 33 yards on 13 carries, but he could receive another opportunity to prove his worth as soon as this weekend. While Jennings may have the inside track to being New England’s third running back in their upcoming game against New Orleans, he isn’t the answer to filling their void in the backfield, as they need to find another reliable back.

Patriots Must Sign Veteran to Fill Hole at Running Back

The Patriots have been active in acquiring depth to their backfield. On Tuesday, the team signed Jashaun Corbin to their practice squad and had tryouts with Deon Jackson and Damien Martinez on Wednesday.

While it’s good that the team is urgently trying to find their third back, none of these options solves their issue. Instead of targeting young players with limited reps to their name, the Patriots should acquire a veteran to add meaningful experience to their backfield.

Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are the only two running backs on the Patriots’ active roster. While Stevenson is in his fifth year, Henderson is a rookie who’s only played in 129 offensive snaps. Although the Patriots don’t need someone to take away snaps from these two, they desperately need to sign a dependable back as an insurance policy for the offense if Stevenson or Henderson were to get injured.

There are a handful of free agent backs that could bolster the Patriots’ depth and make an immediate impact if called upon, such as Zack Moss, Gus Edwards, and former Patriot Ezekiel Elliott. Any of these three could come in and instantly provide New England with quality snaps while also serving as a mentor to the young backs on the roster.

The Patriots’ run game has been disappointing through five games, ranking 27th in rushing yards per game (95.2), 28th in yards per attempt (3.7), and 30th in fumbles (8). If the Patriots want to continue winning games, they must improve their efficiency in the run game and add another player to their backfield.