Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson Ruled Out for Season Opener vs. Seahawks
TreVeyon Henderson will not open the season for the Patriots. The running back is officially ruled out for New England's Week 1 game against the Seahawks, per ESPN and Yahoo Sports.
That news removes one option from a backfield that was already uncertain heading into the opener. Henderson's absence doesn't shut down the offense by itself, but it does force the Patriots to adjust their ground plan before the first snap. In a season opener, where scripted plays matter, losing a back cuts into the playbook.
The challenge now falls to the rest of New England's running back room. Whoever gets the carries will see Seattle's defense early and often. Without Henderson, the Patriots may lean more on their passing game to move the ball, though nothing about that is confirmed.
What we know: Henderson is out. The opener is in Seattle. New England's depth at running back will have to handle the load.
The more interesting question is how much his absence changes the offense's identity in game one. A team that wants to establish the run can't do that as easily when its projected option is sidelined.
My take: Missing Henderson for one game isn't a season-breaker. But it's a real loss in a game that could come down to short-yardage efficiency. The Patriots' ability to run on early downs without Henderson will tell us a lot about how much they trust the rest of that room. If they can't move the ball on the ground, Seattle can plant its rushers in the backfield and make the Patriots one-dimensional.