The top of the New England Patriots’ running back depth chart appears settled with the proven tandem of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
The uncertainty begins behind them.
MassLive identified Myles Montgomery as one of five under-the-radar players to watch at Patriots training camp, revealing he is on the books as one of the highest paid undrafted free agents in New England’s history.
Montgomery still faces a crowded competition, but his speed, receiving production and special teams background give him a realistic path to the roster.
Patriots Made Record Commitment to Undrafted Rookie
The Patriots gave Montgomery $272,500 in total guarantees, including a $25,000 signing bonus and $247,500 in guaranteed salary.
The figure set a franchise record for an undrafted free agent, passing the $264,000 commitment New England made to a tight end C.J. Dippre one year earlier.
The three-year contract is worth $3.125 million.
Over the Cap has Montgomery’s guarantee at 21st among the 382 undrafted free agents who received guaranteed money after the 2026 NFL draft.
That investment followed a productive final college season at UCF.
Montgomery, one of the Knights’ team captains, rushed for a career-high 705 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games. He added career bests with 17 receptions and 182 receiving yards.
His strongest stretch came in consecutive Big 12 games.
Montgomery ran for 119 yards on 10 carries against Kansas State, then produced 110 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas. He finished his college career at Cincinnati and UCF with 1,546 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 274 attempts.
The athletic testing added another reason for interest.
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound back ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds, recorded a broad jump of 10 feet, 4 inches and earned an 8.91 Relative Athletic Score out of 10.
Those numbers fit the way Montgomery played at UCF, showing enough burst to create gains once he reached the second level. His receiving totals give the Patriots another option for an offense that regularly asks its backs to contribute in the passing game.
Special Teams Could Decide Patriots’ No. 3 Running Back Job
New England currently carries six running backs.
With Stevenson and Henderson leading the group, Montgomery is competing with Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison and seventh-round rookie Jam Miller for the remaining opportunities.
Each candidate brings a different advantage.
Jennings has appeared in regular-season games for the Patriots.
Larison returns after a foot injury ended his rookie season, while Miller enters camp with the benefit of being a draft pick.
Montgomery’s contract and athletic profile make him tricky to overlook, but his evident route to make the roster could come through special teams.
The Patriots’ official website noted that the winner of the No. 3 job will likely need to cover kicks and contribute in the return game.
Montgomery has experience covering kicks, an important detail for a reserve who may receive limited offensive touches early in the season.
The battle will still require more than straight-line speed.
Montgomery must show he can protect the football, as well as handle pass-protection assignments and earn the trust of the coaching staff across several special teams units.
New England’s financial commitment cannot guarantee him a roster spot, but the competition is now more intriguing.
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