New England Patriots
The Patriots will need to avoid the injury bug this season, given the concerns regarding the team’s depth.
Expectations are high for Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and an ascending Patriots team after last year’s unexpected run to Super Bowl LX.
But just how certain is it that a Patriots roster boasting plenty of talent — and legitimate question marks — will be able to run things back, especially with a target now on their collective back as the reigning AFC champs?
As New England braces for a rematch with the Seahawks on Wednesday night, here’s a look at some pressing questions facing the Patriots in 2026.
Can New England overcome a tougher schedule?
The 2025 Patriots seized the opportunity in front of them and exceeded nearly any expectation set against them last year.
But New England also took advantage of an easier road through the regular season and AFC playoff bracket — with the Patriots capitalizing on one of the lighter regular-season slates after posting a four-win season in 2024.
New England didn’t exactly face a Murderers’ Row of opposing QBs last season, with the Patriots defense feasting against the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Bryce Young, Spencer Rattler, Cam Ward, Dillon Gabriel, Michael Penix Jr., Justin Fields, Joe Flacco, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Huntley, Brady Cook, and Quinn Ewers.
They also avoided a few juggernauts in the playoffs, headlined by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
A lot of that was out of the Patriots’ control, of course. But the road back to the Super Bowl will be far more arduous this year, beyond the target that will be on this team’s back.
New England’s 2026 schedule includes matchups against eight teams that made the playoffs in 2025: Seattle, Buffalo, Denver, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Several opponents could also be poised for bounce-back seasons in 2026, including the Chiefs (with a healthy Patrick Mahomes), Lions, and Vikings.
Add in a trip overseas to Germany and a daunting Super Bowl LX rematch on Wednesday in what will be a raucous Lumen Field, and the Patriots will be tested early and often this year.
There’s a valid case to be made that the 2026 Patriots will be better than last year’s squad. That might not be reflected in their final regular-season record.
Can Patriots avoid the injury bug?
Drake Maye’s emergence, Mike Vrabel’s leadership, and the contributions of several newcomers all played a huge role in New England’s unexpected Super Bowl run last year.
But New England also benefited from avoiding multiple major injuries to critical areas of their roster, with that continuity and assured production keeping the roster on track amid the peaks and valleys of a long football season.
Players who have run into injury woes in the past like Morgan Moses and Carlton Davis didn’t miss time, while even short-term injuries to players like Robert Spillane and Milton Williams didn’t unravel the defense.
New England may not be as fortunate this year when it comes to the injury bug. And given the evident concerns regarding New England’s depth, things could snowball in a hurry if several starters land on the shelf.
The Patriots might like their expected five-man unit on the offensive line in Will Campbell, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu, and Moses.
But Vera-Tucker’s pro career has been rife with injuries, while an absence for 35-year-old Moses could push rookie Caleb Lomu into regular reps.
Similar concerns will emerge if New England needs to tap into its cornerback and linebacker depth — while the trade of Kayshon Boutte could age poorly if one of New England’s top wideouts in A.J. Brown or Romeo Doubs also gets sidelined.
New England’s starting units on both sides of the ball have a lot working in their favor when it comes to stacking success from last year’s run. But that optimism will dissipate in short order if the Patriots have to turn to several bench options in search of heavy reps and responsibilities.
Can Drake Maye, Patriots offense take another step forward?
Drake Maye’s rapid ascension as one of the most dynamic QBs in the league played the largest role in New England’s unexpected run last season — with the now-24-year-old signal caller in command of one of the more explosive and efficient offenses in recent history.
But Maye’s knack for scrambling out of pressure, turning negative sequences into chunk-yardage plays, and heaving throws down the sideline did sputter in the playoffs when matched up against elite defenses like the Chargers, Texans, Broncos, and Seahawks.
After scoring 28.8 points per game in the 2025 regular season, the Patriots averaged just 16.8 points over four playoff matchups.
But there’s a lot of optimism rooted in New England’s already talented offense taking another step forward in 2026 — for several reasons.
Maye — now in his second season in Josh McDaniels’ offense — hasn’t even come close to reaching his ceiling, which stands as a terrifying scenario for the rest of the NFL.
Beyond Maye’s own development, New England’s pass-catching personnel should receive an upgrade with the arrival of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, while a pair of younger wideouts in DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams should benefit from more established roles in this offense.
Along with a renewed emphasis on the ground game with the addition of bruising fullback Reggie Gilliam, New England should also boast a stronger offensive line this fall — so long as free-agent pickup Alijah Vera-Tucker stays healthy and two second-year players in Will Campbell and Jared Wilson build off promising summers.
If the Patriots want to stave off regression and avoid the expected speed bumps that await on this schedule, Maye and the Patriots will need to be even better this fall.
They might be up to the task, especially if they can ramp up their pace and get more comfortable in McDaniels’ thorough offensive system.
Can they generate enough pressure against opposing QBs?
The good news?
The Patriots re-upped one of their franchise fixtures on defense at the 11th hour — signing Christian Gonzalez to a record-breaking contract early Tuesday morning.
When Gonzalez is patrolling the field and locking down some of the top wideouts in the league, New England boasts one of the top secondaries in the league — with Gonzalez complemented by the likes of Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, Kevin Byard III, and Craig Woodson.
New England also has plenty of talent on their defensive line — with both Milton Williams and Christian Barmore sent to dole out plenty of damage in the trenches.
The bad news?
A talented Patriots defense still has some serious question marks when it comes to dialing up pressure.
Only six teams recorded fewer sacks than the Patriots last season (35.0).
Glancing at this current edge-rusher group, it doesn’t seem like the Patriots are primed to move up that list any time soon.
Dre’Mont Jones should offer value as a hard-nosed veteran who can set the edge and put opposing quarterbacks under duress. But after second-year pro Elijah Ponder, there aren’t a whole lot of sure bets on this roster when it comes to consistently generating pressure.
The Patriots will welcome any production that they can get out of veteran Harold Landry, who will open the year on the PUP list after missing all of training camp due to an ailing knee.
That’s not good news for a Patriots team that already lost K’Lavon Chaisson (7.5 sacks) in free agency, and now could be without Landry (8.5 sacks) for an extended stretch in 2026.
Beyond Jones and Ponder, the next man up at edge is rookie Gabe Jacas — a tantalizing athlete, but a raw product who struggled during the preseason with play recognition and processing at times.
Zak Kuhr and the Patriots defense might be able to overcome some of that dearth of talent on the edge by dialing up blitzes and scheming other ways to get after the quarterback. Still, a pretty talented Patriots defensive unit won’t be firing on all cylinders if it can’t get after the quarterback.
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