The New England Patriots made a move in their running back room on Wednesday, signing veteran Hassan Haskins and waiving rookie Myles Montgomery with an injury designation. The corresponding transaction comes just ahead of New England’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
Haskins, 26, isn’t a new name in Foxborough. He faced the Patriots as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers in New England’s playoff win last season, and now he’s on the other side of the ball. According to NBC Sports, it’s his last game action against the Patriots that made this reunion feel familiar rather than random.
Haskins’ Path Back to New England
The Titans drafted Haskins in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 131 overall, out of Michigan — back when current Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel still ran the show in Tennessee. He made 15 appearances as a rookie, ran 25 times for 93 yards, then lost the 2023 season to injured reserve. Tennessee released him during 2024 roster cuts, and the Chargers claimed him off waivers.
He spent the last two seasons in Los Angeles under Jim Harbaugh, his old Michigan coach. It wasn’t a featured role. Haskins operated mostly as a depth back and special teams piece behind Los Angeles’ primary ball-carriers, and his contract with the Chargers simply expired without a new deal this offseason.
Now he walks into a building with several familiar faces. Beyond Vrabel, Haskins also overlaps with Patriots running backs coach Tony Dews and vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden from his time in Tennessee, according to Pats Pulpit.
The Numbers Behind the Depth Move
Haskins isn’t walking in as a workhorse option, and the tape backs that up. In 44 career regular-season games with one start, he has carried the ball 76 times for 229 yards and two touchdowns — a 3.0 yards-per-carry average. He’s added 18 receptions for 199 yards and a third touchdown through the air, plus 28 kickoff returns for 646 yards, per the Patriots’ official transaction announcement.
| Season | Carries | Rush Yds | Receptions | Rec Yds | Kick Returns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (LAC) | 17 | 47 | 4 | 13 | 8 for 197 yds |
| Career (44 games) | 76 | 229 | 18 | 199 | 28 for 646 yds |
Those aren’t numbers that win a starting job. They’re numbers that describe a role player who has stuck around the league by doing the unglamorous work — picking up blitzes, running the right route on third down, and covering kicks. That’s the profile New England is betting on here.
Why the Move Makes Sense Now
Timing matters. New England is one day from its preseason opener, and preseason games are where fringe roster hopefuls get their best look. Haskins joins a backfield that already includes Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison and Jam Miller, according to Yahoo Sports, which also reported the Patriots worked out three other running backs — JaMycal Hasty, Shane Watts and Leshon Williams — before choosing to sign Haskins.
Stevenson and Henderson remain the clear top of the depth chart. Haskins isn’t walking into a competition for touches. He’s walking into a competition for a roster spot, and special teams reps are usually how that fight gets won in August. A back who can protect the quarterback on passing downs and hold up on kick coverage gives a coaching staff more flexibility on final cutdown day than a back who only offers rushing volume.
The Corresponding Move: Myles Montgomery
To make room, New England waived Montgomery with an injury designation. The 23-year-old signed with the Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent out of UCF in May, following three seasons at Cincinnati before his transfer. He appeared in 41 collegiate games and was a team captain for the Knights.
Per Yahoo Sports, Montgomery is expected to revert to New England’s injured reserve list if he clears waivers, which would end his rookie season before it started. It’s a tough break for an undrafted player who had reportedly been in the mix for a depth role of his own before the injury.
New England’s practice field has been the only real proving ground for its backs so far this camp, and joint contact work has been limited — which makes Thursday’s preseason opener a more useful evaluation tool than anything the Patriots have seen from their running backs this summer.
What Comes Next
Haskins will get his chance to make an impression against the Colts and in the preseason games that follow. Nothing about his signing suggests a guaranteed roster spot. It’s a camp body with a real special teams track record, added at a position where New England wanted more competition heading into final cuts.
If he runs well when his number is called, handles his blocking assignments, and shows the same special teams reliability he flashed in Los Angeles, he gives the coaching staff a reason to keep him around in September. If not, he joins a long list of players who got a training camp look and didn’t make the 53.
