The New England Patriots brought in three free-agent running backs for tryouts on Friday, a rapid response to mounting injuries and thin depth at the position. Ulysses Bentley IV, Terrell Jennings and Josh Pitsenberger each took part in the workout as the club evaluates options ahead of the team’s Week 6 game.
Tryouts underscore concern at a thin position
New England has battled an injury wave even after rebounding with wins over Buffalo and Las Vegas, and the running back room has been a persistent area of concern since Week 1. The Patriots carry three backs on the active roster, but TreVeyon Henderson is dealing with an ankle problem that could force him to miss Week 6, prompting the club to audition outside options Friday.
The decision to bring in Bentley, Jennings and Pitsenberger suggests the team is preparing for the possibility that Henderson won’t play on Sunday. The front office has already added depth earlier in the season, but personnel leaders continue to explore reinforcements at the position.
Who the Patriots worked out and why they matter
Terrell Jennings, 25, is the most familiar name in the group. Once a rookie-minicamp tryout, he signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M in 2024 and has spent parts of the last two seasons on the 53-man roster after multiple practice-squad elevations. The 6-foot, 222-pound runner recorded his first NFL touchdown last season before finishing the team’s Super Bowl LX run on injured reserve after sustaining a concussion in December.
Jennings had been placed on injured reserve before the preseason opener this year and later reached an injury settlement, clearing waivers two days afterward. That settlement runs through the sixth week of the regular season, after which he would be eligible to re-sign in Foxborough, per reporting tied to Boston Herald coverage — leaving an October reunion possible.
Ulysses Bentley IV, 25, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2025. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound back — a transfer from Southern Methodist to Ole Miss — made one appearance as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts and was released from the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad this October.
Josh Pitsenberger, 22, signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie out of Yale in May. The 6-foot, 215-pound back, a two-time first-team All-Ivy League selection, landed on injured reserve during the preseason and was later waived with an injury settlement in August.
Yahoo! News projected that Jennings is the most likely of the three to be signed because of his familiarity with the organization, though the club may simply be updating its list of available running-back targets in case a roster move becomes necessary.
The Patriots' workouts Friday reflect an urgent, pragmatic search for depth rather than a long-term overhaul — a short-term measure driven by injuries and roster realities as the team prepares for Week 6.
