As the Patriots work through roster cuts around the league and try to build out their 2026 group, there’s a clear path staring them in the face: go after players they already know. With the waiver wire not exactly set up to favor them - the AFC team in the Super Bowl doesn’t pick until No. 31 - free agency looks like the cleaner route.
That’s where two familiar names come back into the picture: linebacker Elandon Roberts and tight end Pharaoh Brown.
The Patriots have obvious problem areas on both sides of the ball, and the appeal here is simple. These aren’t speculative fits. They’re veterans who already know what the building looks like, and they could help shore up some of the weakest spots on the roster before Week 1.
Roberts makes sense first because the defense has a real issue against the run. A sixth-round pick by New England in 2016, he spent four seasons with the Patriots before Bill Belichick let him walk in 2020. He went on to the Dolphins and put together a strong three-year stretch, including some of his best outings against New England, then moved on to the Steelers and the Raiders last season.
His calling card has always been run defense, and that’s exactly where the Patriots look vulnerable right now. Their backup defense has shown that weakness already, and it’s not something they can just hope away.
The 2025 season brought plenty of success in that area, including stretches where they held superstar running backs under 50 yards, but the departure of some key contributors - especially Khyiris Tonga - has left a hole. Roberts could step in as a solid LB3 and bring the kind of veteran presence and production that would help stabilize that group.
Brown brings a different kind of value. For most of his career, he’s been known as a blocking tight end, but his lone season in New England gave the Patriots something more. In 2023, he turned into a quietly useful part of the offense, catching 13 of 15 targets for 208 yards and a touchdown.
That was the most productive season of his career, and it came with the kind of work the Patriots could use again now. The offensive line is dealing with multiple injuries, and with inexperienced rookies filling out the depth chart at tight end, a blocker like Brown would fit the need in a hurry.
Neither player figures to be the hottest name available, which gives the Patriots some breathing room. But if they see Roberts and Brown as real answers to two of their most fragile position groups, there’s no reason to wait around. They can make those calls now.
In Other News...
Patriots May Have Found The Missing Piece In Their Backfield
With Terrell Jennings and Lan Larison dealing with injuries and Jam Miller no longer in the mix, the Patriots had a clear need to add some depth to their backfield. They answered it by sending a 2028 seventh-round pick to Arizona for running back Corey Kiner, a move that gives the roster another option behind the top two runners and helps stabilize a position that had been thinned out quickly.
Kiner arrives with a reputation as a versatile back, the kind of player who can give New England something useful in multiple situations if he settles in quickly. The bigger question now is how much of a role he can carve out right away, but the Patriots at least found a practical answer to an immediate problem while keeping the cost low. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Real Week 1 Backfield Concern
The Patriots went into camp expecting Rhamondre Stevenson to head the backfield and TreVeyon Henderson to give the offense a different kind of burst, but the plan has gotten a little shakier as the opener approaches. Stevenson remains positioned as the lead back, while Corey Kiner also sits in the mix, and Hendersons status has become the part of the equation worth watching most closely.
Henderson is working back from an ankle injury he suffered late in training camp, and while he has been around team activities, his return timetable is still not clear. New England appears content to be cautious with him for now, which makes sense this time of year but also leaves the Patriots with a legitimate Week 1 backfield question until his availability comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Leave Key Practice Squad Spots Open For Familiar Names
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For a team always fine-tuning the back end of the roster, the open slots leave room for familiar faces and practical depth at spots where injuries can quickly force movement. New England already has help lined up at offensive line, wide receiver and running back, and a few more players are either working back from injury or expected to arrive soon, so the final version of the practice squad may still look a little different before long. [Read more 🡒]