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New England Patriots News & Rumors

Patriots Not Punishing RB Rhamondre Stevenson For Fumbles

September 27th, 2025 at 11:40am CST by Nikhil Mehta

SEPTEMBER 27: Vrabel said on Friday (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) that Stevenson is not “on some sort of discipline,” suggesting that he may maintain his normal workload after all. Vrabel indicated that Stevenson may not get the official start, but he is not being benched outright, either.

SEPTEMBER 25: Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson led his position with seven fumbles last year, and his ball security issues seem to have continued into 2025.

The five-year veteran fumbled twice in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, which is likely to reduce his workload in the short-term, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. That will “help the coaches make a point to the rest of the team about accountability,” an especially important precedent for Mike Vrabel to establish after his predecessor, Jerod Mayo, struggled to maintain the support of his players.

A downgrade for Stevenson would result in more action for Antonio Gibson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson. Gibson has played just 34 snaps through three games and is trending towards career-low production, primarily due to Henderson taking over his RB2 role. However, the second-round pick has received fewer opportunities than expected to start the year with just 19 rushing attempts, though his 11 receptions lead the running back room.

Henderson clearly profiles as the future of New England’s backfield and only fumbled twice across four years and 590 carries in college, so it would not be surprising to see him take on a much bigger role in Week 4. However, Graziano cautions that changes to the running back snap distribution may not be permanent.

“The goal with Stevenson is to get him past this problem so he can be a big contributor on offense — not to cast him aside as punishment,” Graziano writes.

The Patriots’ willingness to be patient with Stevenson may stem from their financial commitment to the 27-year old. He signed a four-year, $36MM extension before the 2024 season and still has $3.25MM in guaranteed salary in 2026, per OverTheCap, so the team is likely hoping to keep him for at least another year. However, Stevenson’s fumbling issues seem to be chronic, and continuing to turn the ball over will not allow him to last long under Vrabel.

Patriots DC Terrell Williams Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

September 26th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday that defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Williams stepped away from the team in May due to an undisclosed health issue but returned to New England for training camp. He had to leave once again before Week 2, with inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr taking on play-calling duties.

Williams, 51, is undergoing treatment and consulting with specialists, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss adds. Although Williams is expected to remain around the team as much as possible during his treatment process, Vrabel understandably did not offer a timeline for when the first-time DC could return to full-time duty.

Vrabel hired Williams after the assistant had spent a season with the Lions, but the two had an extensive history working together in Tennessee. Williams was Vrabel’s defensive line coach from 2018-22, covering the HC’s first five seasons on staff, and rose to assistant HC in 2023.

Following Vrabel’s January 2024 Titans dismissal, Williams caught on as the Lions’ D-line coach and defensive run-game coordinator. Vrabel’s return led to Williams’ first DC opportunity — at any level — in January. Williams has been an NFL assistant since 2012 and has been in coaching since 1998. The Pats only interviewed two candidates — Williams and Dolphins OLBs coach Ryan Crow — for the job, one Vrabel filled less than two weeks after being hired as HC.

“This is a hard business; this is tough,” Vrabel said, via Reiss. “When you do this, you have to have people that you trust implicitly, that are loyal. He’s been that. He has an ability to reach everybody, and it always kept me in perspective.”

Kuhr worked on Vrabel’s Titans staff from 2020-23, serving as a defensive assistant. He held the same role with the Giants last season. Far less experienced than Williams, Kuhr has spent time in the offseason and in-season calling the shots on defense. The Patriots, who have missed All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez to open the season, rank 18th in scoring defense and 17th in yards allowed. The Gonzalez-less unit has struggled against the pass, ranking 30th. The third-year CB is expected to make his 2025 debut Sunday.

Vinny DePalma, a Jerod Mayo hire retained this offseason, has taken on more responsibility with Kuhr’s linebacking crew during Williams’ time away. DePalma serves as a defensive assistant in New England.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Expected To Play In Week 4

September 25th, 2025 at 3:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Christian Gonzalez has missed the first three games of the campaign but New England could receive a major boost on defense Sunday. The team’s top cornerback has continued to make progress in rehabbing his hamstring injury.

As such, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports Gonzalez is “likely” to make his season debut in Week 4. The 2023 first-rounder was limited to just four games as a rookie but he managed to make 16 appearances last season. Avoiding any further missed time this year would represent a major boost to the Patriots’ defense. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds practice participation will be key in determining if a debut will take place on Sunday.

Gonzalez returned to practice last week after a longer-than-expected period on the sidelines. The 23-year-old declined to confirm whether or not he encountered any setbacks in his rehab process, but it now appears as though he will be available against the Panthers. Per Schultz, Gonzalez was close to returning in Week 3 and has managed to handle an increased workload over the past few days.

Through three weeks, the Patriots rank 29th against the pass with an average of 256 yards allowed through the air per game. The free agent addition of Carlton Davis has provided the team with a new perimeter starter, while Marcus Jones remains in place as a key figure in the slot. Adding Gonzalez to the mix should help New England’s defense take a needed step forward.

The Colorado and Oregon product recorded a pair of interceptions in 2024, adding 11 pass deflections and one touchdown from a fumble recovery. Gonzalez earned second-team All-Pro acclaim, raising expectations for his third year in the NFL. He will be eligible for an extension beginning in January, while a fifth-year option decision will need to be made after the current campaign. It will thus be critical for team and player for Gonzalez to remain healthy moving forward; all parties will hope Sunday produces a return to action without any aggravations of his hamstring or any new injuries.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/25

September 24th, 2025 at 8:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Browns Exploring LT Options After Dawand Jones Injury

September 24th, 2025 at 6:53pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Browns are looking for help on the blind side after losing offensive tackle Dawand Jones to a season-ending injury in Week 3. After Jones underwent surgery on his knee, the team placed him on injured reserve.

Jones opened the season as Cleveland’s starting left tackle but flipped to the right side in Week 3 with veteran Cornelius Lucas was struggling to fill in for an injured Jack Conklin. Lucas allowed five pressures in each of the Browns’ first two games of the season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so the team moved him to the blind side hoping for some improved play until Jones and Conklin could move back to their normal spots.

That approach did not go to plan, as Lucas struggled even more at left tackle in Week 3, allowing nine pressures, while Jones went down just four plays into the game. Even if Conklin is able to return in Week 4, Lucas doesn’t seem like a viable starter on either side. As a result, the Browns are already exploring other left tackle options with several weeks until the trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The trade route would be an interesting one for Cleveland. The best targets are going to likely be aging veterans on expiring deals, especially if they aren’t playing to the levels of their prime. The teams with those players are likely either expecting them to leave in free agency or not planning on re-signing them. Players like Rob Havenstein with the Rams or Colts tackle Braden Smith come to mind. As opposed to letting good players walk away and getting nothing in return, Los Angeles and Indianapolis could instead attempt to bring in some trade value for their potentially departing assets.

But then again, one has to look at Cleveland and how the Browns are set up. The team is clearly not in a win-now mode, so how much good would it do to part with valuable draft assets in exchange for a short-term rental. With so many young players throughout the roster and an intriguing pick collection next year, the Browns may be hesitant to part with any draft capital solely for a temporary fix.

They’ll have plenty of time to explore that avenue, though, and others. Just this morning they signed Thayer Munford to their active roster off the Patriots’ practice squad. A former seventh-round pick for the Raiders, Munford started 18 games over the first three years of his rookie contract in Las Vegas. Munford appears to be the first of many options that Cleveland will explore as they work to rebuild their offensive line on the fly.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Titans Trade CB Jarvis Brownlee To Jets

September 23rd, 2025 at 10:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jarvis Brownlee has served as a starter for much of his time in Tennessee, but his tenure there is coming to an end. The second-year corner is being traded from the Titans to the Jets, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal is now official.

Per Schultz, this deal will see late-round picks swapped in 2026. Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds Brownlee and a seventh-rounder in next year’s draft are being exchanged for a sixth-round pick. The Titans will take on a modest dead cap figure ($789K) as part of this agreement. Schultz reports the Patriots also showed interest before the swap was worked out.

[RELATED: Traded 2026 Draft Picks]

Brownlee joined the Titans as a fifth-round pick in 2024, and with the team dealing with injuries in the secondary he took on a large role. Playing in all 17 games, he made 14 starts and logged over 900 defensive snaps. Brownlee started each of Tennessee’s first two games this season before missing Week 3.

This move will leave the Titans without an important figure at the cornerback spot as they look to rebound from a poor start to the year. Tennessee is among the NFL’s 0-3 teams, and earlier today head coach Brian Callahan announced he has ceded offensive play-calling duties. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the team on that side of the ball, but changes will also be in store on defense with Brownlee not in the fold.

The Jets are also 0-3 to begin the campaign. New York’s cornerback room is led by Sauce Gardner – who reset the position’s market with his extension this offseason – along with free agent addition Brandon Stephens and veteran slot man Michael Carter II. Brownlee, who notched one interception and nine pass deflections as a rookie, will look to take on a backup role with his new team. The 24-year-old has struggled in coverage this season compared to his showing in that regard in 2024.

Under contract through 2027, Brownlee represents a low-cost addition for the Jets and one who could remain in place for years to come. It will be interesting to see how large of a workload he handles upon arrival in New York.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/23/25

September 23rd, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

As teams enter Week 4, here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The Falcons’ kicking rollercoaster took another turn in Week 3 with John Parker Romo missing both of his attempts in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. Granted, those kicks came from 49 and 55 yards, so Atlanta may have some patience after signing Romo to a two-year contract last week. The Falcons still brought in some potential competition in Sauls, an undrafted rookie who spent training camp with the Steelers and made five of his six field goals in the preseason.

Wright is expected to be out for four to six weeks due to a foot injury, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Watson signed with the Buccaneers after the draft but remained on the non-football injury list as he worked to get his weight to a more manageable level. He was waived during final roster cuts, but the team hosted him for a workout last week, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. Watson met the team’s athletic requirements to earn his way back on the practice squad, according to Auman, and will return just in time for the Bucs’ Week 4 matchup with the Eagles. The massive nose tackle does feel like a direct counter to the tush push, but Bowles previously said (via Auman) that Watson wouldn’t be re-signed just for one matchup and would instead need to be ready to contribute to the defense as a whole.

Jets Place Quincy Williams On IR, Add Mark Robinson From Patriots’ Practice Squad

September 23rd, 2025 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The second level of the Jets’ defense will be shorthanded for a notable period. Linebacker Quincy Williams is headed to injured reserve, as first reported by ESPN’s Rich Cimini. The team has since confirmed the news.

Today’s news ensures Williams will miss at least the next four games. The 29-year-old is dealing with a shoulder injury, and he will be sidelined for a stretch. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Williams is not in danger of missing the remainder of the season but this shift to IR is a sign a lengthy absence is in store.

Williams was not among the Jets who received an extension this offseason, but the 2023 All-Pro had $1.5MM in incentives added to his pact in August. Reaching those targets will now be much more difficult with missed time set to occur. New York will also be without an impact starter for the time being. Since being claimed off waivers in 2021, Williams has served as a full-time starter and remained highly consistent. He is a pending free agent.

The Jets’ linebacking core will also be without Marcelino McCrary-Ball for the time being. The third-year special teams contributor has also been placed on IR. Cimini notes he suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday. McCrary-Ball has only logged 80 career snaps on defense in his career, but his third phase ability will be missed while also leaving New York without another linebacker option.

To help compensate for their losses, the Jets are looking to an AFC East rival for help at the LB position. Mark Robinson has been signed off the Patriots’ practice squad. The 26-year-old was among the Steelers’ final roster cuts in August, ending his three-year run in Pittsburgh. Robinson quickly landed in New England, and he was a gameday elevation for each of the team’s three games this season. The Patriots would have needed to promote the former seventh-rounder to the active roster for at least one week to continue playing him, but that will no longer be possible.

Robinson handled a part-time defensive role in 2023, but since then he has played all-but exclusively on special teams. A third phase workload can be expected with the Jets, especially given the McCrary-Ball injury. It will be interesting to see how the Jets’ defense fares without Williams available, though.

Mike Vrabel: Patriots Not Considering K Change

September 21st, 2025 at 3:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

Andres Borregales just took part in his third career regular season NFL game. The Patriots’ kicker did not impress during his first two outings, but for now his job appears to be safe.

The sixth-round rookie missed one of his three field goal attempts in Week 1. Borregales connected on both of his field goal tries the following game, but he also missed a pair of extra point kicks. Those inconsistencies prompted questions about a change taking place or at least competition being added.

“I don’t think we’re ready to have that conversation yet,” head coach Mike Vrabel said after Week 2 when asked about the subject (h/t Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). Such a sentiment is understandable given Borregales’ status as a rookie and the fact he was brought in by the Patriots’ current regime. On the other hand, of course, teams have been known to move on from kickers in short order if they fail to live up to expectations.

Over the course of his four-year career at Miami, Borregales proved to be a highly effective and consistent kicker. The 23-year-old Venezuelan converted 74 of his 86 field goal attempts (good for a success rate of 86%) and only missed one extra point try. It thus came as little surprise when he was among the kickers who were selected in April’s draft.

Borregales’ play moving forward will be worth watching over the coming weeks following the (relative) vote of confidence he received. During Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, he connected on both of his extra point kicks while not attempting any field goals. As the Patriots look to bounce back in Week 4, they will presumably do so with Borregales still in place.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/20/25

September 20th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and Week 3’s standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Elevated: T Tyler McLellan

Washington Commanders

There were some eyes on whether or not the Browns would add a kicker for the weekend after Andre Szmyt needed to undergo some MRI testing, but no such moves were made and Szmyt heads into the weekend without an injury designation. The team did report a workout with veteran kicker Matthew Wright, though, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire.

The 49ers will lose some additional offensive line depth as they place their intended swing tackle, Burford, on injured reserve. Additionally, with Martinez not getting signed to the active roster, it appears that injured starter Brock Purdy will not be active as an emergency option, as was rumored a bit yesterday. Purdy should be inactive as a result.

Herbig announced his retirement at the end of July after spending a good portion of the offseason with the Commanders. The 27-year-old was coming off a 2024 season in which he missed the entirety of the year with a shoulder injury. Washington’s release of Herbig from the reserve/retired list gives him an opportunity to sign with a new team as a free agent. There’s no guarantee that he’s headed anywhere specific, but he likely initiated the transaction in order to explore his options.

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