The New England Patriots are rolling into Seattle on Wednesday night for their season opener without running back TreVeyon Henderson, who is officially ruled out. This isn’t just a minor ding; Henderson has missed the last two weeks of practice battling an ankle injury, so the announcement Tuesday wasn’t exactly a shocker, but it still stings for their offense right out of the gate.
Pats’ Injury Woes Run Deeper Than Just Henderson
It’s not just Henderson dealing with a pre-season injury hangover for New England. Offensive lineman Ben Brown will also be sidelined for Wednesday’s game, nursing a knee injury. The Patriots confirmed these two as their only players with injury designations heading into the opener, but losing a key running back and an O-lineman definitely changes the landscape for them coming into the Emerald City. You gotta wonder how they’ll adjust.
New England’s Roster Juggling Act for Wednesday Night
With Henderson out, the Patriots will lean on Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner as their primary running backs from the active 53-man roster. They’ve also got options to elevate from the practice squad, with Hassan Haskins and Lan Larison available if they need more depth in the backfield. But the backfield isn’t their only concern. In a move that tells you everything about their roster situation, New England is summoning punter Mitch Wishnowsky from the practice squad. Why? Because they currently don’t have a punter on their active roster! That’s a pretty wild way to start your season, rolling into an opponent’s city for Week 1 without an active punter.
This Wednesday night showdown in Seattle kicks off the Patriots’ 2026 season. It’ll be interesting to see how these early-season injury and roster challenges impact their performance right off the bat.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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