New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has been the most consistent source of production for the team in recent seasons. On Thursday, he was rewarded for that.
It was announced that the New England Patriots and their lead back have agreed to a four-year, $36 million extension. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN, the deal includes $17 million in guaranteed money.
A point of emphasis for the New England Patriots this offseason was leaning into a new style under executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo. Both in their first year on the job, they want to become known as a “draft and develop” team.
Thus far, they have certainly earned that distinction. Rhamondre Stevenson is the sixth player that the team has retained this offseason by agreeing to a multi-year contract.
Prior to him, it was safety Kyle Dugger, offensive tackle Mike Onwenu, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and linebacker Anfernee Jennings who agreed to new contracts with the team. All signed contracts of at least three years in length.
For Rhamondre Stevenson and running backs around the NFL, his contract is a major win. A suppressed market in 2023 has bounced back in a big way.
He is now the seventh-highest-paid running back in the league based on annual average. Out of the seven, four of the deals have been signed this offseason. Before the extension, he was set to play out 2024 on a base salary of $3.116 million.
It is a contract that the Oklahoma product has earned. A fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Rhamondre Stevenson has been a true dual-threat out of the backfield for the New England Patriots.
“I think he’s one of the better backs in the league, no doubt about it,” Mayo said at the team’s mandatory minicamp two weeks ago. “I’m excited to see what he does this season, and look, he’s earned everything that he gets.”
In 41 games, he has carried the ball 499 times for 2,265 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has added 121 receptions for 782 yards and one more score.
Last season, Rhamondre Stevenson was second on the team with 619 rushing yards, only 23 yards short of Ezekiel Elliott despite playing in five fewer games. He was on pace to lead the New England Patriots in receptions for a second straight season before a high ankle sprain ended his campaign early.
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