FOXBORO --- Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are penciled in as the New England Patriots ' top two running backs, and it's been that way since last season ended. It's the RB3 role that's been up in the air for 2026 , and for a while, it felt like a healthy competition.
Between Terrell Jennings (who opened up training camp on the non-football injury list), Lan Larison , Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery, those four players were in a competition with each other for the third spot. For a long time, it felt like it was wide open.
With Jennings on the sideline with what he called a "small thing," Larison began to get the lion's share of third-string snaps. He looked smooth out of the backfield, and both rookies also began to pop.
But all fun competitions must come to an end at some point, and ever since Jennings returned from the NFI list, that RB3 job has been all his . His first practice back was a lower-rep day for him, but ever since? It's obvious the third-year running back is the favorite for that spot.
"I feel really good, man," Jennings told reporters after the team's 13th practice of the summer about heading into a season with a familiar playbook. "It's always good coming in, knowing the playbook is a plus for me, and just knowing the same guys that I've been dealing with for a year now, it's been really good.
"And the coaches, of course, they're gonna coach you hard every year. So just staying sharp on my mental is what that's gonna help me with."
Jul 28, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Lan Larison (34) walks to practice for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jennings is the only one of those four that has real NFL experience . In his two years, he's ran the ball 36 times for 106 yards and a touchdown as a rarely-used goal line back. Larison, a rookie last year, didn't play after a preseason injury ended his year.
Both rookies, one drafted (Miller) and one undrafted (Montgomery) have gotten reps in team drills so far, but don't seem like they're on a path to make the roster just yet.
It's obvious at this point that Jennings is the front runner for that third job, both in the amount of reps he's taken and in how he plays. His running style is drastically different from those behind him.
"I would say my aggression, and I play big, so that's what I like to bring to (the field)," Jennings said. "I can run hard as well, and I can also get on the edge and run."
Before Jennings returned, Larison was taking most of the snaps at RB3 . Even Miller and Montgomery got some extended looks out of the backfield. Since he's passed his physical and strapped the pads on, it's clear Jennings has the upper hand.
The running back room as a whole knows that there's a competition for the final spot. Still, they're keeping their spirits high as they head into the dog days of the preseason.
Jul 28, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Jam Miller (30) walks to practice for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"We're pretty close, I'd say, as a room," Larison said last week. "It's pretty friendly competition. We all try to help each other, and if we see anything, we're always talking, communicating. We want the best for each other."
Jennings, the longest-tenured one of the four backups , has a similar mindset. It's certainly one that can help the rest of the room, but for Jennings, keeping that same headspace will ultimately win him the job come Week 1.
"It's good. I mean, we're friends, but we want to feel like it's a real battle out there," he said. "Like we telling each other, 'Yeah, man, you better tighten up because I'm coming right behind you. So it's a good, healthy, healthy bond that we got, but it's also competitive."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Why the Patriots RB3 Battle Isn't Nearly as Close as Fans Think .
