Coming out of a Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots spent the offseason trying to keep the momentum rolling into the 2026 season. They didn’t have the same cap room they had a year earlier, so the splashy moves were limited. Even so, they still brought in several high-end free agents to raise the level on both sides of the ball.
Nine games into the season, it’s hard to say they missed badly on the group as a whole. Injuries have complicated the picture, but most of the additions have done what they were brought in to do. Still, a few questions remain as the team heads into the bye week.
Kevin Byard III hasn’t delivered the kind of impact the Patriots were expecting. The veteran safety came in with plenty of buzz, helped by his connection to Mike Vrabel from their Titans days and by the strong season he had with the Bears, when he posted 7 interceptions returned for 91 yards and 8 passes defended.
In Foxboro, though, the production hasn’t matched the reputation. Through 9 games, Byard has only one interception and 3 passes defended, and he’s been beaten too often for the defense’s taste.
There’s still time for him to clean that up, but right now he hasn’t come close to the standard the Patriots were hoping for.
Dre’Mont Jones, on the other hand, has been a much better value than his numbers alone suggest. The Patriots signed him to help anchor the pass rush next to Harold Landry and to serve as a veteran presence for the younger players.
With Landry still on the Physically Unable to Perform list entering Week 10, Jones has had to carry even more of the load. He’s responded with steady pressure on quarterbacks, including 22 pressures through 8 games, despite being doubled often.
He’s also held up well against the run, helping preserve one of the defense’s strengths from last season.
The stat line is solid enough on its own: 17 combined tackles, 2 for a loss, 5 quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks. But the bigger story is how effective he’s been beyond the box score.
After Week 9, Pro Football Focus had him 23rd among 109 qualified edge defenders with a pass-rush win-grade of 73.2. For a player who drew criticism when he was signed, Jones has become one of the Patriots’ most important additions.
The offense has had a rougher time staying healthy. Romeo Doubs, Drake Maye’s WR2, and starting left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker both landed on injured reserve, and their absences have only made an already shaky group look worse.
With the Week 11 bye approaching, there’s a chance both could be in line to return for the primetime game against the Chargers in Week 12, when they’re first eligible. The severity of their injuries hasn’t been made clear, and it’s not certain they’ll be ready the moment they can come back.
The Patriots are waiting on more updates from Mike Vrabel.
Before the injuries, Doubs had been trending upward after a rough debut, and Vera-Tucker had been doing a strong job on the left side of the line alongside Will Campbell. Their return would matter, but for now the team is still in wait-and-see mode.
Reggie Gilliam is another name worth watching after the bye. The Patriots signed the fullback this offseason, a move that fit Josh McDaniels’ long-standing preference for the position.
They also beat the Bills to him, after Buffalo had hoped to bring him back. Gilliam hurt his ankle in Week 4 against the Bills and has been on injured reserve ever since.
Vrabel hasn’t said much about his status, even though he was eligible to return this past week.
Given how useful he should be down the stretch, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Patriots hold him out until after the bye. That appears to be the plan with A.J. Brown, and it may be the same approach here.
In Other News...
Patriots Still Have One Huge A.J. Brown Decision Hanging Over Germany
A.J. Browns status has become one of the more important loose ends for the Patriots as they head into their Week 10 trip to Germany. Brown has missed two games with ankle and knee injuries and has been available for only three games this season, leaving New England to manage both his health and the timing of a long overseas trip at a point when every roster decision feels magnified.
Mike Vrabel said the current plan is for Brown to travel with the team, but the Patriots still have not locked in a final call. New England is also adjusting its travel schedule to get to Germany earlier than usual so players can acclimate and prepare, which only adds another layer to a situation the team would prefer to settle before game week takes over. [Read more 🡒]
Corey Kiner Suddenly Has A Real Opening In Patriots Backfield
Corey Kiner is suddenly in line for a much bigger piece of the Patriots backfield, and the timing matters. With the running back room thinned by injuries, New England may need Kiner to do more than just fill snaps, especially after he has already flashed in limited work this season and shown he can handle a meaningful workload when called upon.
For an offense trying to keep Drake Maye from carrying too much of the load, Kiners emergence could be a useful pressure valve. The Patriots have been searching for steady answers on the ground, and his recent production has at least given them a reason to believe there is something worth building on if the opportunities keep coming. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Have A Right Tackle Debate They Cant Ignore
The Patriots offensive line has become one of the quieter but more pressing issues on the roster, and the conversation at right tackle is starting to sharpen around a familiar name and a rookie option. Morgan Moses has been the veteran presence on the edge, but the line around him has been banged up enough that New England has to weigh whether a younger answer could help stabilize both pass protection and the run game.
Caleb Lomu is the player forcing that discussion. His college tape suggests a tackle with the kind of movement and reliability the Patriots could use, and the early signs have been encouraging enough to keep his name in the mix. For now, there is no official decision, which leaves New England with a familiar training camp sort of dilemma: stick with the veteran and hope the line settles down, or make the switch before the protection issues become harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]