Andy Borregales is heading into the 2026 season with a familiar number and, in his words, a return to where it all started.
The Patriots kicker has switched from No. 36 to No. 8, taking over a jersey that belonged to Stefon Diggs during New England’s 2025 campaign. Diggs is no longer on the roster, having been cut in March and later landing with the Washington Commanders, which left the number open just days before the season opener.
Borregales didn’t waste time making the move once he saw the chance.
“It was the first number I ever wore when I started playing football at five years old,” Borregales told reporters in the Patriots locker room on Sunday. “I kind of waited until the end; if anyone was going to get it, go get it. I saw that it was still available, so I was like, ‘I might as well just try to get it,’ and here we are.”
For Borregales, No. 8 goes back a long way. He wore it until middle school before his older brother José left for high school and Borregales switched to No.
- From there, the numbers on his back stayed in the 30s, through his time at the University of Miami and then into the NFL.
That continued last season, when he wore No. 36 as a sixth-round rookie and delivered a solid first year in Foxborough. Borregales made 31 of 38 field goal attempts and 60 of 62 extra points.
Now he’s the one wearing the number Diggs once had, and Borregales said he had a good relationship with the wide receiver.
“I had a great relationship with him,” Borregales said of Diggs. “I hope he’s doing good in Washington, and I do believe he’s going to be doing good.
He was a great guy. He was a good locker room guy.”
Borregales enters his second season after a summer that was generally steady, though he did miss three kicks in the preseason opener against the Colts. He has been perfect in the two exhibition games since, but that rough outing still drew some attention.
Not from coordinator Jeremy Springer.
“Oh, he’s ready to go. I don’t have any doubts in Andy not being ready to go,” Springer said.
“He’s a very mature athlete as a kicker and he prepares that way. He never gets too high or too low.
I’ve seen that a million times here, whether it’s a good game, bad game, good practice, bad practice, he learns from it, he studies it and he comes back better the next day.”
In Other News...
Patriots Tight End Uncertainty Could Open Door For Forgotten Veteran
A season-ending injury to Julian Hill has forced the Patriots to reshuffle their tight end depth, and the group suddenly looks a lot thinner than it did a few weeks ago. New additions Tanner Arkin and Cameron Latu give the team bodies at the position, while rookie Eli Raridon and the other backups are still trying to establish themselves after yet to recording an NFL catch.
Shane Zylstra sits on the practice squad as a familiar name who could become relevant quickly if the current mix does not hold up. A former wide receiver turned tight end, Zylstra has been around long enough to know how to stay ready, and with the room still sorting itself out, there is at least a path for the veteran to get a look if the Patriots need more stability there. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Are Suddenly Buzzing About An Undrafted Receiver Again
Efton Chism III has already become one of the more talked-about undrafted additions around Patriots camp, and not just because he is trying to carve out a roster spot the hard way. His practice work has sparked fan comparisons to Julian Edelman, with clips circulating on social media that point to a similar feel in the way Chism moves and competes. For a fan base that has long loved the underdog receiver who makes every rep count, that kind of buzz tends to travel fast.
For now, Chisms path with New England looks more practical than flashy. He is expected to help primarily on special teams and serve as a practice mimic for opposing receivers, which is often the kind of behind-the-scenes role that earns a coachs trust before anything else happens. Whether that eventually turns into something more meaningful is still an open question, but the early reaction has given Patriots fans another reason to watch an undrafted rookie closely. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Have A Rare Christian Gonzalez Opening For The Wrong Reasons
Christian Gonzalez has spent the preseason in a familiar but increasingly uncomfortable place for a rising star in New England: at the center of extension talks that have yet to produce a clean finish. The Pro Bowl cornerback has been negotiating with the Patriots throughout camp, and while the team has reportedly put forward money that lines up with the market set by Devon Witherspoons recent deal, the sides still have not ironed out the contract language that can make these agreements far more complicated than the headline number.
For the Patriots, the uncertainty hangs over the start of the season because Gonzalez has not committed to playing in the opener. And while there has been chatter about a possible trade involving the Chargers, nothing official has materialized, leaving the situation stuck in the space between leverage and patience. Until the wording gets settled or the market shifts, New England is left waiting on one of its best defensive players and watching the calendar with a little more concern than it hoped for. [Read more 🡒]