After missing the entire 2025 season, New England Patriots running back Lan Larison already has one major goal for 2026 in mind: Proving himself out of the backfield as a reliable receiving option.
The Patriots already have a dominant pairing at running back with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. However, Larison does provide some intrigue as a change-of-pace back and a receiving option.
He was a highly-regarded undrafted rookie last year who racked up 1,465 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in his final year at UC Davis, while also hauling in 62 receptions for 847 yards and six touchdowns. Unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury during the preseason, effectively ending his NFL rookie season before it even started.
“One thing that I would like to expand on going forward is just proving myself out of the backfield,” Larison said on Aggie Pride: A UC Davis Football Podcast. “Whether it’s my route craft or just knowing that I’m a viable option to catch the ball. I think I dropped a ball in our little scrimmage, and it still haunts me to this day. Like, I have flashbacks of it. I dropped a ball—I would’ve walked into the endzone.”
The opportunity for Larison to prove himself could certainly be there.
The Patriots are looking for a third running back option after moving on from Antonio Gibson. Larison is a versatile option who offers both running and receiving out of the offensive backfield. He has a legitimate chance of not only sticking around, but he could carve out a role on offense for New England in the 2026 season.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Forgotten Patriots RB honing in on one specific goal for 2026 season
