Grading the signing: Patriots add a ball hawk from Mike Vrabel’s past to improve their already scary secondary
Patriots sign All-Pro safety Kevin Byard in free agency and it could be a game-changer for their secondary.
The reigning AFC champion, New England Patriots are hard at work trying to not only repeat in the AFC but return to the Super Bowl and get the job done.
They’ve made multiple signings already to try and do just that, including giving Drake Maye a new weapon at wide receiver by signing former Green Bay Packers wideout Romeo Doubs. Now they’ve made a big addition to their defense.
The Patriots have signed All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, a player head coach Mike Brabel knows very well already. Let’s discuss that further and more by grading the signing.
Mike Vrabel and Kevin Byard reunite with the Patriots after being together with the Titans
Byard spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Bears, and this past year was a major success. He led the NFL in interceptions with seven, showing he is still one of the league’s best ball-hawking safeties. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors and is now moving on to join the Patriots.
Vrabel knows all about Byard’s ball hawk abilities. He coached the safety from 2018 to 2023, where he recorded 20 interceptions. The two now reunite with the Patriots, where he will join an already solid secondary led by superstar corner Christian Gonzalez.
To learn more about the Patriots’ new safety, I spoke to A to Z Sports Bears beat writer Kole Noble, who had a glowing review to give on Byard’s time in Chicago.
Bears beat writer shares thoughts on the type of player the Patriots are getting in Byrad
“Originally a third-round selection by the Tennessee Titans in 2016, Kevin Byard III continued to elevate his game in his 10th career NFL season after leading the NFL in interceptions and notching his third career first-team All-Pro selection. Despite his age, Byard proved he still has plenty left in the tank to be a true ballhawk in the deep-third for any defense.
His best trait is easily his intelligence when it comes to baiting the quarterback into a bad decision, and it helps him continue to make plays on the ball this late into his career. Off the field, Byard is a proven locker room leader and the ultimate team captain. At the same time, he knows his career is on the downswing and is hoping to make one last run at a Super Bowl by landing with a true contender like the Patriots.” – Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Chicago
A to Z Sports’ top 100 free agency ranking for Byard
Final rank: 40
The skinny: Byard came into the NFL as a single high safety, and quarterbacks learned quickly not to test him. The traffic cop in centerfield, Byard, saw a drop in his ball production during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but he exploded back onto the scene in 2025. A first-team All-Pro who led the league with seven interceptions and recorded his most pass breakups since 2021, Byard might not be the athlete he once was, but his instincts are probably among the best in the sport.
Heading into year 11 and his age 33 season, I wouldn’t expect a long-term deal for Byard, but teams might be able to lowball him due to age and receive a turnover magnet for a playoff push.
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