After what turned out to be a promising campaign in the 2023 season, it seemed that Bailey Zappe isn’t the only player who deserved a lot of praise in the New England Patriots roster. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson has just extended his stay with the team after agreeing to a new deal with the team that would see him stay for four more years.

Stevenson has accepted a promising offer from the Patriots to extend his stay with the team for four years, inking a $36 million deal that already has $17 million guaranteed. The running back was already in the final year of his rookie deal with the team, and with the new deal, it does seem that there are more to expect from his game with the way he is playing right now.

This means that Stevenson will be slated to stay with the Pats through 2028. This new $9 million average sets Stevenson as seventh among running backs, just between Joe Mixon, who is slated to receive $9.9 million, and both Derrick Henry and D’Andre Swift, who are set at $8 million. As the top back for the team, keeping him with the team for the coming runs would be a much-needed boost to keep the squad on top shape with the way they are rebuilding through the past few years.

A Bright Future for Stevenson and the Pats

Despite finishing with a 4-13 record in the 2023 season, where the Pats finished dead last in the American Football Conference, it does seem that there is a bright future brewing for the Patriots with Stevenson kept in the squad. It has been quite some time since the Patriots ended its dominance in the playoffs, and it cannot be denied that the expectations are high for the new generation of the squad to come up with bigger leaps.

As the top-rated back in the squad, it does seem that Stevenson will be getting more minutes and touches on the field if he is lucky enough to stay healthy. His ability as a runner and a receiver has been developed well in the past few years with the Pats, which makes him a promising three-down weapon for the squad. Just imagine him being the main guy whom Bailey Zappe will work with for the coming years, developing a strong chemistry together as a squad that will soon channel into being a contender now more than ever.

The Details of the Deal

What makes Stevenson’s deal with the Patriots unique is that it comes with an $8 million signing bonus and an attached possibility of incentives of at least $12 million starting in 2025. This can come in either reaching at least 1,400 yards, becoming a Pro-Bowler, or an All-Pro by the end of the season. On top of that, Stevenson’s bonus can go up as high as $600,000 if he reaches at least 1,400, 1,500, and 1,600 scrimmage yards starting in 2025 to 2028.

The deal would even max out at $48 million should he reach Pro Bowl plus first- or second-team All-Pro honors in the same timeline. At the age of 26, nothing is impossible for Stevenson’s game considering that he generated a total of 1,040 rushing yards and 421 receiving yards in 2022.

Assuming that Stevenson can stay healthy after that injury-riddled 2023 season limited him to just 12 games and a total of 857 scrimmage yards, fans should expect him to come up with bigger strides in the 2024 campaign for the Patriots, with a new contract giving him some inspiration.