If the goal of free agency is to assemble a roster strong enough to be able to select the best player available when the NFL Draft rolls around next month, then the Patriots have succeeded through three days of free agency.
After adding safety Kevin Byard on a one-year, $9 million contract on Wednesday, the Patriots now have 11 starting-caliber players on offense and defense.
Sure, they still have positions to address — specifically wide receiver, tight end and edge defender — but they don’t need to find a starter with the 31st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That wasn’t the case last year, when they exited free agency with a major need at left tackle, then selected Will Campbell fourth overall.
Here’s a look at what a Patriots starting offense and defense could look like if the season started today.
Offense
QB Drake Maye
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
WR Romeo Doubs
WR Kayshon Boutte
WR Mack Hollins
TE Hunter Henry
LT Will Campbell
LG Alijah Vera-Tucker
C Jared Wilson
RG Mike Onwenu
RT Morgan Moses
Key subs: RB TreVeyon Henderson, FB Reggie Gilliam, WR DeMario Douglas, WR Kyle Williams, TE Julian Hill
Defense
OLB Dre’Mont Jones
OLB Harold Landry
DT Milton Williams
DT Christian Barmore
LB Robert Spillane
LB Christian Elliss
CB Christian Gonzalez
CB Carlton Davis III
CB Marcus Jones
S Kevin Byard
S Craig Woodson
Key subs: DT Cory Durden, OLB Elijah Ponder, CB Charles Woods, S Dell Pettus, S Mike Brown
The Patriots need to load up on more defensive depth, especially on the edge and at cornerback, build out the tight end position and generally add more offensive firepower.
The Patriots also might not be done in free agency after adding Gilliam, Doubs, Vera-Tucker, Hill, Dre’Mont Jones, Byard and Brown. The options on the edge are dwindling, but Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa and older pass rushers like Joey Bosa are still available, as are cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Roger McCreary.
Tight end is more depleted, unless the Patriots want to give a veteran tight end like David Njoku a short-term contract. Dallas Goedert also could shake free unless he and the Eagles can agree to a contract extension.
Not only does this give the Patriots more flexibility in the draft, but it also gives them options with any potential trades.
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has not yet been traded. The Ravens backed out of a trade for Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby on Tuesday night because the five-time Pro Bowler failed a physical. The Vikings also have not traded outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard.
Without having to address a pressing need in the first or second round, the Patriots could use their draft capital to acquire a player like Brown, Crosby or Greenard.
If the Patriots can’t acquire a high-end player via trade, then their needs appear to be set up well with players expected to be available at No. 31 overall. Edge defenders Cashius Howell, T.J. Parker, Zion Youn and R Mason Thomas and wide receivers Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion and Omar Cooper Jr. are expected to be selected in the Patriots’ range and are ranked between Nos. 25 and 42 on consensus draft rankings.
The Patriots also need to acquire more depth at offensive tackle and need to think about the future of their right tackle position when Morgan Moses, who’s 35, hangs up his cleats. Tackles Caleb Lomu, Blake Miller and Max Iheanachor are all ranked between Nos. 26 and 39 on consensus draft rankings.
The Patriots haven’t made as many splash additions as they did last offseason, because they had less salary-cap space heading into the offseason. They’ve also needed to make key cuts or trades to free up cap space to pay new players.
But the Patriots have set themselves up well for the rest of the offseason by being active and addressing key needs in the first wave of free agency.