New England Patriots
The Patriots may nonetheless use a confirmed No. 1 wideout forward of the 2026 season.
The New England Patriots — very like the remainder of the NFL — have been busy last week as soon as free company commenced throughout the league.
New England bolstered its roster throughout a number of essential areas giving Drake Maye a brand new weapon in former Packers wideout Romeo Doubs and a stout guard (when wholesome) in Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Bruising fullback Reggie Gilliam ought to add some snarl in short-yardage conditions in 2026, whereas Kevin Byard and Dre’Mont Jones determine to be key cogs on protection for Mike Vrabel and now-full-time DC Zak Kuhr.
However, even after the Patriots addressed a number of essential wants over the past week, New England government vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf acknowledged final Thursday that the present roster is way from a completed product.
“We’ll discover something that we expect may also help the crew,” he mentioned.
Next month’s NFL Draft will provide one other prime alternative for Wolf, Vrabel, and the remainder of New England’s prime brass to bolster the Patriots’ depth, whereas trades stay a viable possibility at this juncture of the league calendar.
Because the NFL offseason strikes ahead, there are a number of urgent wants Wolf and Co. nonetheless want to handle if this crew needs to construct on a breakthrough 12 months in 2026.
A No. 1 huge receiver
There’s quite a bit to love about what Romeo Doubs can provide New England’s offense.
Doubs, who turns 26 subsequent month, had loads of success on the skin with Inexperienced Bay over the previous few seasons. However, he may additionally thrive as a reliable goal out of the slot for Maye shifting ahead.
According to CLNS Media’s Taylor Kyles, Doubs reeled in 14 of 19 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns on slot targets in 2025. He must also assist treatment a few of New England’s red-zone woes, given the 18 touchdowns he’s secured over the previous three seasons.
However, final Thursday, Wolf supplied up a measured take when requested if Doubs would have the ability to fully replicate the manufacturing that Stefon Diggs posted in his lone season in Foxborough (85 catches, 1,013 yards, 4 touchdowns).
“I feel it’ll be quite a lot of guys,” Wolf mentioned. “Steph moved round quite a bit within the offense, and we’ve some guys which are nonetheless right here that we expect can do extra. Kayshon (Boutte) can actually transfer round greater than he did final 12 months. Mack (Hollins) can play each place, Kyle (Williams) can play each place.
“After which, Pop (DeMario Douglas), when he was on the sphere this 12 months, was very productive. So we be ok with the group and the tight finish group is type of a part of that as properly. We’re excited to see what Josh (McDaniels) can put collectively for the offense.”
The Patriots have a strong receiver corps, particularly with Doubs within the equation. However, New England ought to nonetheless be on the prowl for a confirmed No. 1 goal for Maye, with Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown still making plenty of sense as a blockbuster trade target for the Patriots.
New England might need to attend till after June 1 to attempt to pry Brown out of Philly, with the Eagles additionally likely seeking at least a first-round pick in return for the three-time Pro Bowler.
However, even with that steep asking worth, a receiver with six 1,000-yard seasons on his resume like Brown would offer a significant raise to a Patriots offense that flatlined throughout the postseason.
If New England continues to balk at Eagles GM Howie Roseman’s hefty asking worth for Brown, the Patriots may use their 2026 first-round decide (thirty first general) to focus on a flexible and explosive athlete like Texas A&M wideout KC Concepcion.
An explosive edge rusher
The Patriots have already got the makings of an elite defensive unit in 2026 — particularly with returning skills like Milton Williams, Christian Gonzalez, Robert Spillane, and Marcus Jones all trying to construct off of final 12 months’s breakthrough marketing campaign.
Youthful gamers like Craig Woodson must also take a step ahead this fall, whereas free-agent pickups like Kevin Byard and Dre’Mont Jones are poised to make a right away influence.
There’s quite a bit to love about what a bodily participant like Jones can provide on a Vrabel-led crew. The 29-year-old edge rusher posted 7.5 sacks and 24 QB hits in 2025, and needs to be a stronger presence when tasked with stopping the run as a hulking 6-foot-3, 281-pound linebacker/defensive finish.
However, Jones alone isn’t going to be the one treatment for New England’s pass-rushing woes, which took one other hit after Ok’Lavon Chaisson left the Patriots and signed a one-year, $11 million cope with the Commanders final week.
Even with Chaisson’s breakout season in 2025 and the likes of Williams and Christian Barmore routinely producing strain on the line of scrimmage, New England solely managed to submit 35.0 sacks throughout 17 regular-season video games. Solely six groups completed final season with fewer sacks.
With the free-agent pool of dynamic edge rushers now dried up, don’t be shocked if New England targets the draft as the very best avenue so as to add edge-rushing expertise.
Potential first-round targets like Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, Missouri’s Zion Younger, and Miami’s Akheem Mesidor would all convey loads of upside to an already robust New England defensive unit.
Regardless of the Raiders’ continued claims that they’re holding onto Maxx Crosby, it wouldn’t come as a lot of a shock if groups just like the Patriots circle again with Las Vegas to see if the All-Professional expertise may nonetheless be accessible after a blockbuster cope with the Raiders fell by way of final week.
Depth at offensive sort out
If Alijah Vera-Tucker can avoid the sting of the injury bug, there’s quite a bit to love about what the brand new Patriots guard can provide New England’s offense as a stabilizing presence at guard, particularly alongside Mike Onwenu.
The sort out place is a unique story.
New England’s offensive line was shredded by Seattle throughout Tremendous Bowl LX, with rookie left sort out Will Campbell’s sustained postseason struggles elevating issues about his long-term viability because the protector of Maye’s blind aspect.
For now, Wolf, Vrabel, and the remainder of the Patriots have reaffirmed their dedication to Campbell because the crew’s beginning left sort out in 2026.
However, that essential space of the roster is working on skinny ice subsequent season, given each Campbell’s up-and-down play and the age of beginning proper sort out Morgan Moses, who turned 35 earlier this month.
Even when Campbell rights the ship and Moses can defy Father Time as soon as once more in 2026, the Patriots can be clever so as to add some depth on the sort out place — each as a contingency plan for this season and as a long-term substitute for Moses shifting ahead.
The Patriots — who already misplaced a priceless backup sort out this offseason in Vederian Lowe — may pivot to the draft in the hunt for a future proper sort out.
It wouldn’t be a headline-stealing pickup, however concentrating on a stout sort out prospect like Clemson’s Blake Miller with decide No. 31 can be a prudent transfer for Wolf and his employees as a possible successor to Moses.
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