New England Patriots
“It’s very exhausting if it’s simply Milton [Williams] and [Christian] Barmore within the center.”
The 2026 NFL Draft is only a few days away, and the Patriots nonetheless have a number of holes to fill throughout their roster at this stage of the offseason.
Even after spending closely in free company as soon as once more final month, the Patriots may nonetheless use some upgrades at edge, broad receiver, tight finish, sort out, and several other different areas of their depth chart.
However, a pair of former Patriots consider that there’s a transparent want that Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf, and the remainder of New England’s prime brass should handle with the thirty first choose within the upcoming draft.
“A dynamic go rusher, any person that dictates protection,” Devin McCourty advised ESPN’s Mike Reiss. It’s very exhausting if it’s simply Milton [Williams] and [Christian] Barmore within the center, and that’s all you need to fear about.”
Devin McCourty’s twin brother, Jason McCourty, agreed that New England wants so as to add some pass-rushing expertise to its protection.
“Edge rusher is on the prime of the record,” Jason McCourty advised Reiss. “Dre’Mont Jones was a pleasant pickup; he’s a two-way kind participant the place he can get after the quarterback, however [is] simply pretty much as good in opposition to the run and might kick inside on third down … however not an elite go rusher.”
Even when New England did bolster a few of their defensive personnel up entrance by signing Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year, $39 million contract, the Patriots additionally misplaced a few of their pass-rushing expertise this offseason, with Ok’Lavon Chaisson inking a one-year, $12 million contract with the Washington Commanders.
Solely six groups recorded fewer sacks than the Patriots (35.0) in the course of the 2025 season.
Talking final week, Wolf acknowledged that including an edge rusher stands as one of many prime priorities for New England within the coming days.
“Yeah, we may complement our room with some velocity. I feel I feel that’s evident,” Wolf stated. Dre’Mont and Harold [Landry] and Elijah [Ponder] and a few of the different guys we now have, all of them have their talent units. We wish to get sooner.
“You recognize, Dre’Mont’s a man that may play throughout the road, run video games. I imply, he can sneakily beat you with velocity, however that’s most likely not his bread and butter. And that’s an space that we’re wanting, once more, seeking to attempt to enhance the depth on the roster.”
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