Quite a Few Changes Already This Offseason

Patriots Offseason Changes

It’s been a busy offseason for the New England Patriots so far at this point, with the 2026 version of this team now set to look quite different the next time Mike Vrabel’s club hits the field.

Since New England’s final snap in Santa Clara, 17 players from the 2025 Patriots Roster are out, with the club signing just two of the 14 players who were either unrestricted, restricted, or exclusive rights free agents this offseason, out of the group of 2026 Patriots free agents.

None of those included any of the unrestricted free agents who had hit the market. Tight end Austin Hooper signed with the Falcons. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins signed with Baltimore. Defensive Khyris Tonga signed with Kansas City. K’Lavon Chaisson signed with Washington.

While none of those are marquee names, it was still a surprise that not one of them stuck around.

The two re-signings were restricted rights free agent quarterback Tommy DeVito and exclusive rights free agent fullback/tight end Jack Westover. DeVito signed a two-year deal worth a reported $7.4 million, which will now see him elevate to the backup spot behind Drake Maye after the club looked into trading Josh Dobbs, but they’ve instead opted to release him.

As for Westover, while the club has tendered him, reports say he’s yet to sign it, leaving things in question a bit there until that happens.

Overall, it’s a group that has already morphed a fair amount, barely a month since they were last on the field. Of the players who saw snaps in the Super Bowl back in February, a total of nine players are gone from that group. Three are on the offensive side of the ball are gone (and Thayer Munford remains unsigned), while six have moved on from the defensive side.

Patriots who played against the Seahawks:

*Number of players who are no longer here

Offense (3*):
M.Hollins
W.Campbell
J.Wilson
G.Bradbury
M.Onwenu
M.Moses
A.Hooper
H.Henry
T.Henderson
D.Maye
R.Stevenson
K.Boutte
S.Diggs
D.Douglas
K.Williams
J.Westover
T.Munford (Free Agent)
Defense (6*):
M.Williams
C.Durden
C.Barmore
J.Tavai
A.Jennings
J.Gibbens
R.Spillane
C.Davis
C.Gonzalez
J.Hawkins
C.Woodson
K.Chaisson
M.Jones
C.Elliss
K.Tonga
E.Ponder
L.Taylor
H.Landry
D.Pettus
C.Muma
Vrabel Seeking Versatility and Toughness at LB

The biggest takeaway is that Mike Vrabel seems to feel he needed more from his linebacker group, which was evident by the fact that they’re turning over four players at that position (K’Lavon Chaisson, Anfernee Jennings, Jack Gibbons, Jahlani Tavai) who played meaningful snaps for them last season.

They added three players in Jesse Luketa (1-year deal), Dre’Mont Jones (3-year deal), and K.J. Britt (1-year deal), and the assumption is that they’ll also explore options in next month’s draft.

Jones is expected to be an impact player, with the former Raven having finished 2025 with seven sacks and 24 quarterback hits, along with a pass defensed and two fumble recoveries. Britt’s considered a versatile player who provides speed and is a little more physical in the run game. Versatility is also a hallmark of Luketa, although he’s not quite as athletic, but he’s expected to contribute on special teams and should also help their run defense.

The loss of Tonga stings, primarily because he was solid in the rotation up front and became a good player for them as the season progressed. Reports said the two sides were close on an extension late in the season, but those talks fell apart, and Tonga ended up drawing interest in free agency before ending up with the Chiefs.

His departure will likely create some opportunities for Leonard Taylor and Corey Durden, with both players growing quite a bit in 2025. It also wouldn’t be a surprise if they try to add to that depth in the draft.

Pressure is on Wilson

The trade of Bradbury to Chicago was clearly a vote of confidence for Jared Wilson, with center now seemingly his job to lose this summer.

Wilson was highly touted coming out of college, having earned second-team All-SEC honors at center following his performance in 2024 at Georgia. That led to the Patriots drafting him in the 3rd round in 2025 with the 95th overall selection.

The club had signed Bradbury at the start of that offseason, and the thought was that both Wilson and Cole Strange, who saw time there at the end of 2024 and received praise from Vrabel for his own performance, would be factors.

Instead, Wilson seemingly fell out of the mix after some early issues in camp with the quarterback/center exchange, but quickly grabbed momentum at left guard and ended up as the starter there by the time training camp ended.

The rookie had some rough moments at guard at various points, including in the playoffs, and the hope is that he’ll settle back in at center, where he excelled in college. But it’s going to be a key transition, especially considering that teams had success down the stretch getting pressure up the middle on Maye, which can’t happen if they hope to fight their way back to another postseason run.

Still in the mix is Ben Brown, who signed an extension and also gives them depth, having started at both spots. They also signed Alijah Vera-Tucker who, if healthy, should give them both some experience, as well as some added size and toughness alongside Campbell and Wilson.

If Wilson settles in and becomes the player they hope he can be, they’ll be in solid shape heading into the season. But things do hinge a bit on his success, and they’ll definitely need him to be as good or better than Bradbury in 2026.

Doubs Adds a Different Dynamic

After parting ways with Stefon Diggs at the beginning of the offseason, the Patriots went ahead and signed Romeo Doubs, who is significantly younger and a little more dynamic.

That move felt a little like the Danny Amendola signing, where the club wanted to add some additional explosiveness. That was an attribute back then they felt Wes Welker didn’t have, and it was something that was missing from Diggs, especially the longer the season went.

Fortunately, the Amendola signing happened to coincide with the emergence of Julian Edelman, who evolved into their top target, and it ended up being a pretty good duo. Right now, they don’t have anyone who has emerged to complement Doubs just yet. Kayshon Boutte had some good moments, and both Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf seem to feel Kyle Williams could be poised to take a step forward. But the hope is that someone steps up and that same scenario plays out this time.

While some reports have indicated the door isn’t closed on Diggs, Mike Reiss said recently on Sports Final that a return didn’t seem likely, as he believes the team is simply ready to move on.

Overall, Doubs is a player who is both good inside and outside, and he’s also quicker and does a better job when it comes to getting separation. That’s something that Diggs struggled with as the season went on, which tends to happen when a 32-year-old receiver is 20+ games into a postseason one year removed from knee surgery.

With Doubs, he’ll be 26 in a couple of weeks and also doesn’t carry the off-the-field baggage that Diggs did. But Diggs was a leader in the locker room, and Doubs is said to be more of a quiet presence, so that will remain a void that someone else will need to step into.

Changes every offseason are inevitable, but the sheer volume of moves so far this year is striking. However, what they do from here should be interesting to follow, with the hope that whatever draft class they put together next month turns out to make a similar impact as the 2025 group as they continue building this football team.

About Ian Logue

Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.