It's been tough sledding for New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson following a strong start to a once-promising NFL career. He was supposed to be the next big thing after bursting on the scene as a rookie with the Washington Commanders in 2020.
Nowadays, Gibson's spot on the 53-man roster is no longer guaranteed, especially after the Patriots signed undrafted free agent running back Lan Larison of UC Davis. New England ostensibly entered this offseason with a plan to revamp its backfield, and the former could subsequently get pushed out of the picture. The latter is an intriguing prospect with a versatile skill set, giving him a prime chance to make the final depth chart.
Patriots RB Antonio Gibson is in danger of ceding his roster spot to UDFA Lan Larison
Larison amassed 2,312 scrimmage yards and 23 touchdowns (284-1,465-17 rushing and 62-847-6 receiving, respectively) as a fifth-year senior at UC Davis in 2024. He even completed 5-of-7 pass attempts for 45 scoreless yards! His ability to contribute in various ways has drawn comparisons to New Orleans Saints Swiss Army Knife Taysom Hill.
In addition to potentially carving out a package as a gadget player, Larison can also assume Gibson's special teams role as a returner. He wasn't asked to field kicks during his last two collegiate campaigns upon becoming the focal point of UC Davis' offense. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old exceeded 1,000 combined kick return yards between 2021 and 2022, which the Pats presumably knew before adding him.
Moreover, something Larison does exceptionally well and Gibson has notoriously struggled with: Taking care of the football. The UC Davis standout never fumbled in college, while the veteran tailback has coughed up the rock 14 times in the pros. Ball security (or lack thereof) is vital, particularly for those who don't get a lot of touches.
Besides his age, the biggest knock on Larison is that he was in the FCS. However, he torched the competition en route to AP FCS All-American honors this past season. His 2,387 all-purpose yards set a single-season high at UC Davis and raised his career total to 6,504, setting the all-time school record.
Fellow incoming rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson, whom the Patriots spent a second-round pick on, and Rhamondre Stevenson should dominate touches. Nonetheless, first-year head coach Mike Vrabel's run-first offensive approach may open up opportunities for a third mouth to feed, whether Gibson or Larison.