Lan Larison's freshman year was a cruel joke. A broken foot in the preseason opener against Washington ended his debut before it started, leaving the running back to watch from the sidelines while the Patriots' backfield moved on without him. Now, heading into his sophomore season, Larison is outlining his goals for 2026—and frankly, he has to make this count.
The Patriots' depth chart at running back is crowded. Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Terrell Jennings, and Elijah Mitchell are all in the mix, which means Larison isn't walking into a cushy role. Mike Vrabel's offense demands versatility and execution, and there's no patience for developmental dead weight. This is a prove-it moment, plain and simple. Larison needs to demonstrate that he can stay healthy, understand the scheme, and contribute on passing downs—because the margin for error in New England right now is razor-thin.
What matters here is that Larison is thinking clearly about his objectives entering Year Two. Too many young players waste their comeback year treading water, focused on just getting back on the field. The fact that he's setting concrete goals suggests he understands the reality: one injury-plagued season doesn't define your career, but how you respond does. If he can carve out a role as a change-of-pace back or contribute in the receiving game, he becomes useful to an offense that still feels like it's being built around Drake Maye's development.
The Patriots aren't going to hand him carries. He'll have to earn them. That's the Vrabel way. But if Larison can stay healthy and show up in the run game and as a checkdown option, he could become a meaningful depth piece for a team still figuring out its identity under new leadership. The alternative—another injury, another lost year—is something neither he nor the organization can afford.
Based on reporting from Pats Pulpit.