The New England Patriots have holes on their roster.
The New England Patriots won the AFC last season after beating the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. They were favored to beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, but Seattle pulled off the big upset.
With the 2026 NFL Draft upon us, ESPN's Bill Barnwell believes the Patriots need more defensive line depth.
"The Patriots don't project to land any compensatory picks, so they don't need to stress about holding off on veteran talent until June 1," Barnwell wrote. "There are still solid players who can play rotational roles available, including players such as DJ Reader, Shelby Harris and even 39-year-old legend Calais Campbell, who might feel like it's worth heading to New England to potentially chase a ring."
New England has a talented offense with Drake Maye leading the way. Stefon Diggs is gone, but Romeo Doubs was a big addition.
Former Chicago Bears star defender Kevin Byard was a good pick-up as well, but again, Barnwell is worried about the defensive line.
"This was always going to be a quieter offseason for the Pats after last year's spending spree, and they've been much more selective with their moves. New England moved on from Stefon Diggs and replaced him with Romeo Doubs. Breakout edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson went to Washington, with Dre'Mont Jones joining in his stead. Kevin Byard III replaces Jaylinn Hawkins at safety. And Eliot Wolf traded center Garrett Bradbury to the Bears and signed oft-injured guard Alijah Vera-Tucker away from the Jets, with incumbent left guard Jared Wilson expected to move to the pivot next season.
"What Mike Vrabel needs is extra help up front. There aren't any concerns about the top of the lineup. The Pats got great play out of free agent addition Milton Williams when healthy, and Christian Barmore was thankfully able to return from his blood clot issues to play a full season. Cory Durden was quietly very good as a rotation tackle and earned more playing time in 2026. Jones and Harold Landry III will be the starters on the edge.
"With Khyiris Tonga and Anfernee Jennings leaving this offseason, though, the Pats need to shore up behind those vets. Barmore is one year removed from a scary 2024 campaign where he barely played. Landry was hurt down the stretch. And the Pats defense wasn't the same for part of last season when Williams was sidelined by a high ankle sprain and went on injured reserve."
The Patriots have a long history of drafting good players and getting the most out of their current veterans.
Don't be surprised if New England's defensive line shocks the league in 2026.
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