The New England Patriots still have plenty of roster needs to address even after a busy start to free agency

What are the top needs left for the New England Patriots to address this offseason?

AJ Schulte — College Football Trending News Writer
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Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Denver Broncos during the first half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High.
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The New England Patriots have attacked free agency well, adding three of the top value players in guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, wide receiver Romeo Doubs and pass rusher Dre’Mont Jones to shore up areas of need, while also upgrading in ancillary spots like fullback, tight end, and safety.

However, to get back to the Super Bowl, the Patriots still have a few areas of need to shore up this offseason, whether through more free agent signings or the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Wide Receiver

The Patriots made a strong addition in Romeo Doubs last week. I think Doubs will be a surefire, dependable target for Maye who can operate as the Z in their offense and give New England a real separator outside. However, I’ve maintained that they needed to add at least two wide receivers in the offseason, and that hasn’t changed.

It seems like the Patriots want to expand into more heavy personnel sets, leaving 2-WR sets on the field more often than not. Doubs and hopefully second-year player Kyle Williams can operate at Z, but there should be more competition with Kayshon Boutte over at the X spot. Whether it’s a trade like the highly-rumored A.J. Brown deal or a wide receiver like Chris Brazzell II or Denzel Boston in the NFL Draft, I’d like for the Patriots to add at least one more option outside.

EDGE rusher

Dre’Mont Jones will boost the floor of the room tremendously, but the Patriots still need to add splash plays into their pass rush group on the outside. Jones and Landry are good pass rushers, but I’d like for New England to add some speed into this room and give a different skill set for opposing offenses to deal with.

The free agent pool is fairly thin, but OLBs coach Mike Smith did coach Marcus Davenport in Minnesota. In the draft, players like Dani Dennis-Sutton, Malachi Lawrence, Derrick Moore, and Joshua Josephs could be strong additions to keep an eye on.

Tight End

Hunter Henry is still as reliable as ever, and the Patriots added a solid find in Julian Hill to boost the blocking in the room. However, they are lacking in overall athleticism here and don’t have a receiving threat in the room beyond Henry. If this move into heavier packages continues next season, that can’t happen.

I’d be interested to see if New England strikes a deal with a tight end that Mike Vrabel is familiar with such as David Njoku or Jonnu Smith, but if they opt for the draft, NC State’s Justin Joly or Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers make a ton of sense.

Defensive Tackle

Surprisingly, the Patriots opted to not bring Khyiris Tonga back in free agency, letting him walk to the Kansas City Chiefs. New England still hasn’t addressed their nose tackle spot, leaving last year’s third-round pick Joshua Farmer or former UDFA Cory Durden as their only options on the roster currently. While I’m high on Farmer, Tonga’s absence was keenly felt by the Patriots last season when he battled injury, and I’m always skeptical of handing jobs to unproven players. I’d be interested to see a player like D.J. Reader or Greg Gaines here.

Additionally, I also think New England should add more to their interior rush to help keep Milton Williams and Christian Barmore fresh. I would lean into the draft here to try and add someone like Zane Durant, Jackie Marshall, or Bryson Eason in the mid-rounds.

Linebacker

I am somewhat surprised that New England opted to not bring Jack Gibbens back after he played nearly a thousand snaps last year and was fairly productive in that role. The Patriots signed K.J. Britt, but he should be a LB4/special teams candidate, and not more than that. They are sorely lacking in coverage options here at linebacker, barring a sudden career turnaround by former third-round pick Marte Mapu.

Rather than someone in free agency, I would be interested to see them add someone like Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Owen Heinecke, or Harold Perkins here in the later rounds to bolster the depth and athleticism of the room.