It took only two games for the New England Patriots’ biggest perceived strength to morph into a major concern.
The Patriots had the NFL’s fourth-ranked passing offense in 2025 by yards per game, with quarterback Drake Maye leading the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt, and passer rating. No one expected much of a drop-off after the Patriots beefed up Maye’s protection up front and spent high-end resources at the skill positions this offseason.
The NFL’s script always includes a few twists, and the Patriots are getting the brunt of it. They enter their Week 3 road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, ranked 26th in passing and 30th in offensive scoring.
New England needs multiple players to step up in Sunday’s showdown with the reigning AFC South champion Jaguars, starting with Maye.
Several Patriots players could be another poor performance away from a role demotion, though, and (shocker) they all play on offense.
Patriots' struggling offense could force Mike Vrabel to make some difficult decisions
1. Greg Van Roten - RG
Van Roten deserves some grace. He was signed late in the offseason, on Aug. 18, and is a 36-year-old veteran.
He was also the next man up after Mike Onwenu suffered a season-ending leg injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the drop-off from Onwenu to Van Roten was... palpable.
Head coach Mike Vrabel will likely start Van Roten at right guard against Jacksonville, with Ben Brown as the team’s backup center. But if Van Roten doesn’t improve significantly from what he showed against the Steelers, New England will likely turn to Brown and return to the free-agent and trade markets to find help along the interior.
2. Rhamondre Stevenson - RB
As we saw last season, Vrabel has Stevenson’s back. But his lost fumble against the Steelers was the 10th of his career (seven as a rusher, three as a receiver), and the fact that he was bailed out by TreVeyon Henderson is impossible to ignore.
In his first game back from an offseason ankle injury, Henderson outsnapped Stevenson 33-20, out-touched him 16-7, and outproduced him by 30 scrimmage yards. Henderson’s speed vs. Pittsburgh’s zone-heavy defense likely played a role in that gap, but Stevenson wasn’t very efficient with his 23 touches in Week 1 with Henderson out.
New England’s backfield should revert closer to a 50/50 split against Jacksonville, but Henderson looked much improved in pass protection in his debut. He could take over this backfield as the clear workhorse if Stevenson puts the ball on the ground again.
3. Reggie Gilliam - FB
The Patriots made Gilliam the highest-paid fullback in football this offseason, presumably to unlock what was a frustratingly inconsistent running game in 2025, especially in short yardage.
Gilliam’s impact has not been felt through the first two games of 2026.
Henderson’s 39-yard touchdown burst through the heart of the Steelers' defense came with Maye lined up in the shotgun and Gilliam not on the field. The former Buffalo Bill has played just 26% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps and has a lower run-blocking grade than tight end Hunter Henry, according to Pro Football Focus.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels likely has some wrinkles in store for Gilliam, as the Patriots have faced the NFL’s two most zone-heavy defenses in Seattle and Pittsburgh to open the season. But it’s been a painfully slow start for one of the Patriots’ most intriguing moves in free agency.
4. Jared Wilson - C
Wilson isn’t in danger of losing his job, but with Onwenu out, the Patriots will rely on him more than ever starting in Week 3.
The second-year pro had a tough time against the Steelers’ stout defensive front, to put it mildly. PFF charged him with allowing four pressures, but Maye rarely looked comfortable in the pocket as Pittsburgh applied constant pressure straight up the middle and through the right side of the line.
Vrabel seemed to challenge Wilson a bit during his day-after press conference: "I don't think that was one of Jared's better games yesterday,” the coach said. “I think he can protect better. I know he can protect better. I've seen him protect better."
Wilson doesn’t have a choice. The Patriots are going to need him, as the options at guard and center are limited right now, outside of Brown.
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