New England Patriots
The Patriots have to sort out a crowded wide receiver room this summer.
DeMario Douglas is fighting for a spot in a crowded Patriots wideout room. (Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff)
July 23, 2026 | 7:59 AM
4 minutes to read
Patriots training camp has finally arrived.
As Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and the rest of the Patriots look to build off of last year’s unexpected run to Super Bowl LX, there will be no shortage of storylines to follow this summer as camp begins in earnest in Foxborough.
New England was busy this summer, overhauling several areas of its depth chart in hopes of staving off any regression for the upcoming 2026 campaign. That influx of new talent — coupled with the additions of another wave of young players — should make for some heated battles over the coming weeks.
Here are a few position battles that we’re going to keep tabs on this summer:
Wide receiver
The Patriots’ revamped pass-catching corps should have no shortage of appealing targets for Drake Maye to throw to.
But New England is going to have to move on from at least a few talented players in order to get down to a manageable number of receivers.
New England’s receiver group will be led by newcomers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, with the duo’s ability to hit the ground running in Josh McDaniels’ offense standing as another key storyline in the ramp-up to a new season of football.
Who slots in after both Brown and Doubs on the depth chart remains to be seen, with Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism still on the roster.
Boutte has made it through an offseason rife with trade rumors, but the explosive deep-threat target could still be a potential trade chip — especially if New England has some reservations about handing him a solid pay raise in 2027.
Williams could be in line for a greater role in his second year in the league, while Hollins was a dependable veteran and strong blocker last year. “Pop” Douglas could be fighting for a roster spot as well, especially if Chism also has a strong camp.
Running back
New England already has two talented running backs in place between Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
But New England needs to identify a reliable third running back to slot in behind both players — giving the Patriots another dynamic option as either a versatile pass-catcher or a strong blocker.
This could be an opportunity for several younger players to rise to the occasion, even with Terrell Jennings still on the roster.
Lan Larison saw his stock soar last summer before he suffered a broken foot, ending his season before it could even begin last August.
Even though Larison was an undrafted signee last year, he stuffed the stat sheet at UC Davis — 1,465 total rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns to go along with 62 catches for 874 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his senior year with the Aggies.
Another undrafted name to watch is Myles Montgomery out of UCF, who New England handed one of the more lucrative deals among undrafted players this spring with over $270,000 in guaranteed money.
Jam Miller — a 2026 seventh-round pick out of Alabama — will also be a name to watch after gaining 1,596 yards on the ground across four seasons with the Crimson Tide.
Edge rusher
This might be the area of the Patriots’ roster with the most question marks entering camp.
New England should have plenty of proven talent and rising players in place across the defensive line — headlined by Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Cory Durden, and Leonard Taylor III.
But after free agent pickup Dre’Mont Jones, the Patriots don’t exactly have a proven playmaker on the edge who can get after the quarterback.
Veteran Harold Landry would presumably fit the bill, but the 30-year-old Boston College alum is set to open camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, while 2026 second-round pick Gabe Jacas is seemingly stuck in limbo without a contract and marred by injury woes that were corrected by offseason procedures.
New England could add another veteran later on this summer, especially if both Landry and Jacas’ availability remains in flux.
Otherwise, New England will need younger players like Elijah Ponder to rise to the occasion to help a Patriots team that only recorded 35 sacks during the regular season.
Tight end
The Patriots still have a dependable veteran tight end in place with Hunter Henry. But New England will need to dive deep into its roster to identify its top backup TE, especially with free agent signing Julian Hill out for the season after suffering an injury during OTAs this spring.
Hill’s blocking and physicality will be missed, with New England likely turning to younger options to back up Henry.
2026 third-round pick Eli Raridon is an obvious candidate to step into that role, although it might be a lot to put that much responsibility onto a rookie.
C.J. Dippre — who will also open camp on the PUP list — is a potential name who could replicate some of Hill’s blocking capabilities, while Jack Westover also remains in the mix.
Similar to the edge rusher position, this is another segment of the depth chart that the Patriots could re-address later on this summer, especially if an intriguing name or two hits the market during roster cuts.
Linebacker
Similar to a lot of spots on New England’s roster, the Patriots seemingly like what they have at the top of their respective position groups — with Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss leading the way at the linebacker position.
But the next men up at that position are a bit more uncertain, especially after New England moved on from Jahlani Tavai, Jack Gibbens, and Marte Mapu this past offseason.
Veteran free-agent signing K.J. Britt and December signing Chad Muma stand as the next men up, while 2026 sixth-round pick Namdi Obiazor out of TCU is also a name to keep tabs on.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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