The New England Patriots have announced on Wednesday they are placing running back Rhamondre Stevenson on injured reserve.
Stevenson suffered a high ankle sprain in the Patriots’ December 3 meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers. There was always a long-shot chance of him returning, and it wouldn’t make sense at this point anyways with there only being two more games left on the regular season schedule.
The Patriots’ move to sign former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn to the practice squad added depth behind Ezekiel Elliott, Kevin Harris and JaMycal Hasty.
Stevenson is expected to be a major part of the Patriots’ plans in 2024, and it makes sense for him to recover completely from the ankle injury and look to come back stronger next season.
The backup running backs have done a tremendous job of stepping up in his absence. Elliott has especially proven his value with his versatility as both a rusher and receiver, while Harris has come through big with multiple angry runs, including a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15.
