The Patriots are headed into training camp with plenty of attention on the big names, but the real shape of their 2026 roster could be decided by a few quieter battles. Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, Christian Gonzalez and even DeAndre Hopkins are all part of the larger conversation, yet the next few weeks may end up telling a different story: which lesser-known players force their way into real roles.
Three names stand out as the ones most likely to change the picture.
Lan Larison looks like the kind of back who can carve out a job in a hurry. TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson are set to handle the bulk of the carries again after helping power the sixth-ranked rushing offense in the regular season, but Antonio Gibson’s release opened the door for a new RB3.
Terrell Jennings has gotten some work, and the Patriots also drafted Alabama’s Jam Miller in the seventh round. Even so, Larison has the profile that fits what New England wants.
The 2025 UDFA brings a compact build that matches the team’s preference for backs who can handle work between the tackles. He also showed real receiving chops at UC Davis, finishing his final season with 62 catches for 847 yards and 6 touchdowns, while leading the Aggies in both receptions and receiving yards.
On top of that, he has special-teams value. Larison handled 49 kick returns in his college career, including 43 returns across the 2021 and 2022 seasons for 1,186 yards, an average of 26.2 yards per return.
That kind of all-purpose profile is exactly why he could end up looking like the 2026 version of Rex Burkhead.
Up front, Andrew Rupcich has already started making his case. The Patriots overhauled the interior of the offensive line this offseason, with Jared Wilson moving from guard to center and Alijah Vera-Tucker arriving on a three-year deal to take over that spot. Ben Brown is still the top backup, but New England is likely to keep another interior reserve, and Rupcich has put himself in position to be that guy.
He got early spring work next to Brown at left guard while Vera-Tucker was out, and that put him ahead of Caedan Wallace and the rest of the competition. At 325 pounds, Rupcich has the kind of size that matches the starters, and that could matter in Josh McDaniels’ eyes, especially with his preference for gap scheme running.
Then there’s Chad Muma, who has a real chance to become the next important backup linebacker. The Patriots lost all three of their backup linebackers this offseason: Jack Gibbens signed with the Cardinals despite being an RFA, Jahlani Tavai was released, and Marte Mapu was traded to the Texans. That leaves a clear opening.
New England added K.J. Britt in free agency and drafted Namdi Obiazor in the sixth round, but Muma has already shown enough to stay in the mix.
The former Wyoming linebacker was a third-round pick by the Jaguars in 2022, was waived after three seasons, and later signed with the Colts. He played in five games for Indianapolis last year before landing on the practice squad, then joined the Patriots after Robert Spillane’s injury.
From Week 16 on, he logged 131 special teams snaps and 29 defensive snaps.
His experience in Zak Kuhr’s defense could give him the edge. Muma finished his first three seasons with 94 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and if he can replace Gibbens as the third linebacker and a core special-teamer, that would be a significant gain for both the roster and Kuhr’s unit.
In Other News...
Patriots Camp Got More Physical And Two Key Health Concerns Emerged
The Patriots fourth training camp practice brought a noticeable step up in intensity, with the team in shells for the first time this summer and the drills looking a little closer to real football. There were still several players out because of injury designations, but the on-field work offered a clearer look at the competition and the rhythm of the offense, with Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton all getting their chances while Kayshon Boutte paced the receivers and Andy Borregales stayed busy on field goals.
The bigger concern came from the health front, where two key players did not finish the session after the physicality picked up. Any early exit in camp gets attention, especially when the Patriots are trying to build continuity on both sides of the ball, and the sight of Carlton Davis and Rhamondre Stevenson leaving practice before it was over added a different kind of urgency to an otherwise productive day. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face A Costly Defensive Line Decision They Can't Miss
The Patriots still have a defensive line question hanging over the roster, and it is the kind that can shape how aggressive they get before the market thins out. One name worth watching is Tampa Bay tackle Vita Vea, a massive interior presence who would instantly change the look of New Englands front if the price ever made sense.
There is plenty standing in the way, though. Vea is already 31, would come with a hefty contract ask and would almost certainly cost real draft capital, which matters for a Patriots team that already sent a first-round pick to Philadelphia for A.J. Brown last month. Tampa Bay has not officially put Vea on the market, so for now New England is left weighing the appeal of a rare difference-maker against the cost of making a move that might be too rich even for a team trying to fix its defense. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichicks UNC Gamble Just Took Another Ugly Turn
Bill Belichicks first year at North Carolina already carried plenty of scrutiny after the Tar Heels stumbled to a 4-8 finish and spent much of the season near the bottom of the offensive rankings. Now the off-field structure around the program is drawing attention too, with the university saying a human resources matter involving a key football staffer has led to administrative leave.
UNC said the move is standard procedure and does not speak to the merits of the complaint, but it adds another layer of uncertainty around a program still trying to find its footing under a coach whose arrival was supposed to change the conversation. The timing is hardly ideal, either, with the Tar Heels only weeks away from opening the 2026 season against TCU in Dublin, Ireland. [Read more 🡒]