The New England Patriots are absolutely cooking up a storm, making moves all over the place. Less than a week after shipping wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to Houston, the reigning AFC champions just snatched up running back Corey Kiner in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. This 24-year-old is walking right into a Patriots running back room that’s locked down at the top but totally up in the air further down the line, and his arrival just shook things up big time for a whole bunch of guys.
The Backfield Shake-Up Just Got Real
Coming out of their preseason finale, the Patriots had six running backs on the roster. Everyone knows Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are roster locks. But below them, Lan Larison, Jam Miller, Hassan Haskins, and JaMycal Hasty were all fighting for those precious remaining spots. Now, Kiner shows up, and suddenly the primary backup behind Stevenson and Henderson might not be one of those guys. Adding Kiner might not automatically cost all four their jobs, but it definitely muddies the water. The truth is, the newest addition is a quasi-lock for the initial 53-man roster, making him the current RB3 with a far more settled outlook than any other back not named Stevenson or Henderson.
Don’t Let His Size Fool You: Kiner’s A Bruiser
At under 5-foot-9 and 209 pounds, Kiner isn’t exactly a towering figure, but his game is pure power. He finds success by grinding it out between the tackles. According to Dan Brugler’s 2025 draft guide, “The Beast,” Kiner is a “leverage-based runner who is more powerful than he looks and consistently makes the first man miss.” He was even No. 4 in the FBS with 82 forced missed tackles in 2024. He might lack those flashy top-tier athletic traits, but he has a natural feel for run angles, using his blocking to set up defenders perfectly. Kiner is a compactly built tackle breaker, and while you won’t be wowed by his speed or burst, his balance through contact is going to be his NFL ticket. Proving himself on passing downs will be key to solidifying his spot.
So, what’s next? With seventh-round rookie Jam Miller already limited in practice this week and missing the preseason finale, it’s looking like Kiner, who shares a similar profile, could absolutely snag Miller’s 53-man roster spot when all the dust settles. The Patriots just added a serious piece, and the competition in that backfield just went from warm to scalding hot. You gotta wonder who’s going to make the final cut.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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