The New England Patriots acquired running back Corey Kiner from the Arizona Cardinals in a cutdown weekend trade. We examine what Kiner brings to the backfield in Foxboro.
It appears that the New England Patriots have found their answer in the backfield.
Earlier today, New England reportedly agreed to terms on a trade with the Arizona Cardinals, acquiring running back Corey Kiner in exchange for a 2028 seventh-round draft pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Kiner projects to fill the third running back role in Foxboro after the Patriots used the preseason to extensively evaluate their in-house options.
The deal officially closes the loop on this week’s earlier swap that sent wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and the 2028 seventh-round draft pick. Now, that pick (originally the New Orleans Saints’) is sent to Arizona in exchange for Kiner.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest addition to the Patriots’ backfield, Corey Kiner:
Who is Corey Kiner?
Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Corey Kiner (37) celebrates after a carry against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesKiner, 24, was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2025. He also had a short stint with the Minnesota Vikings before signing with the Cardinals on December 2, 2025.
The former LSU Tigers’ (2021) and Cincinnati Bearcats’ (2022) running back won Ohio’s Mr. Football Award as a senior in high school before amassing 556 carries, 2,882 rushing yards (5.2 yards per carry), and 16 rushing touchdowns during his four-year collegiate career.
At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Kiner measured in at 5’8 ⅝”, 209 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds with a 1.59 10-yard split, and put up 19 reps on the bench press. His testing metrics earned a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 4.29, which ranked 1,106 of 1,935 running back prospects from 1987-2025.
As a prospect, Kiner was renowned for his contact balance and ability to run through the first attempted tackler — what he lacked in top-end athleticism was made up for by a high football IQ. Kiner may not be the shiftiest back in the world, but he is an effective one-cut runner between the tackles who brings a consistent level of aggressiveness to plow through contact and maintain forward momentum through the whistle.
Kiner only appeared in four games during his rookie season, each with Arizona. He carried the ball 12 times for 58 yards (4.8 yards per carry), and added two receptions (on three targets) and 15 yards receiving to his totals.
In the 2026 preseason, Kiner received more opportunities to contribute and made the most of it. In three games, he carried the ball 39 times, gained 180 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry), and scored two touchdowns. He had four 10-plus yard runs and three 15-plus yard runs en route to his impressive rushing totals, and forced nine missed tackles in those three games. Kiner caught five of his six targets and picked up 28 receiving yards during the preseason.
Kiner’s Role
Aug 22, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Corey Kiner (37) runs the ball in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn ImagesNew England has been searching for a solution in the backfield to fill the third running back spot behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson since the onset of the 2026 offseason. The training camp battle had taken many twists and turns, and ultimately, that answer came from outside the building.
Early in the summer, Lan Larison stepped to the forefront as the back who was first in the rotation behind the Patriots’ starters. Recovering from a broken foot that sidelined him for 2025, Larison showed great ability as a pass-catcher (nine receptions, 79 receiving yards) out of the backfield, but had poor efficiency as a between-the-tackles runner with 18 carries, 39 rushing yards (2.2 yards per carry), and one touchdown during the preseason.
Seventh-round rookie Jam Miller also showed promise during the first two preseason games. He led New England with 25 carries and 91 rushing yards (3.6 yards per carry) in those contests, but was not active for the preseason finale.
The Patriots had been exploring external additions in the backfield throughout training camp, signing running backs Hassan Haskins and JaMycal Hasty after Terrell Jennings and Myles Montgomery were both waived before the preseason opener with injury settlements. Haskins — a former fourth-round pick by head coach Mike Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans — had seen his volume steadily increase throughout the preseason, but has since been released.
Now, New England looks to Kiner for insurance at running back. A young player with the potential for future development, he’ll likely begin the year on the Patriots’ 53-man roster, but does not prohibit the organization from keeping other backs in the building via the practice squad. The brass in Foxboro clearly preferred a more polished between-the-tackles runner than they had on the roster, and Kiner brings that with a much greater average yards-per-carry than any of the other rushers in the room.
Looking Ahead
Aug 6, 2026; Canton, Ohio, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Corey Kiner (37) reacts during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesKiner’s acquisition starts a clock for others in New England’s backfield, but he wasn’t the first external addition New England made during cutdown week — and in all likelihood, he won’t be the last. It’ll be interesting to see which other priority positions of need the Patriots target through free agency, the waiver wire, and the trade market in the coming days.
How do you think Corey Kiner will fit into the backfield in New England? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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