The New England Patriots have assembled a 2026 training camp roster after what can only be termed a mixed bag of offseason results. They strengthened a couple of positions, but not enough in light of their more difficult 2026 schedule.
Therefore, it's not surprising that Bleacher Report's Moe Moton is predicting an 8-9 record for the 2026 Patriots.
"NFL teams can only play the opponents on the schedule. That said, we can't ignore the fact that the New England Patriots had a favorable 17-game slate. In 2026, the Patriots will play a first-place schedule. They'll face the NFC North, a division that had three playoff teams last year, and the AFC West. New England won't have the schedule breaks it had in the previous season."
Bleacher Report predicts a difficult step back for the Patriots in 2026
On the plus side, the Patriots added safety Kevin Byard III, an All-Pro, and a potential swing tackle in first-round pick Caleb Lomu. After swapping productive pass rusher K'Lavon Chaisson for a more well-rounded edge defender in Dre'Mont Jones, New England made a move on Day 2 of the draft to add Gabe Jacas. The Patriots also added a versatile tight end prospect in Eli Raridon to develop alongside Hunter Henry.
The offseason as a whole left much to be desired, though. Another haul was required to remain competitive in the face of a far more difficult 2026 schedule. The Patriots didn't get it from Mike Vrabel and his personnel team. Quarterback Drake Maye can compensate for a lot of offensive shortcomings, but as seen in 2025, that's a hard way to live against elite competition.
The upgraded schedule is a major factor in predicting how the 2026 Patriots will fare. The contrast between the 2025 and 2026 versions is stark. The team will start the season playing four playoff teams, with three of those games being on the road. The first is in Seattle against the champion Seahawks, who dismantled the Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
The Patriots didn't do enough to bolster their struggling pass-blocking offensive line in 2025. No matter how the statistical data looked, New England surrendered 47 regular-season sacks, and another 21 in the playoffs. Maye faced pressure an average of 13.5 times per game in the playoffs, per Pro Football Focus, and was sacked six times by the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Four of the five starters on the offensive line are projected to return.
On defense, besides the mentioned lack of edge depth, the defensive line added no one of note and lost underrated nose tackle Khyiris Tonga to the Chiefs in free agency. The inside linebacker position is also paper-thin after the Patriots cut Jahlani Tavai and declined to re-sign Jack Gibbens. The defense should be OK, but again, as with many offensive positions, depth is sorely lacking.
Any major injury issues on either side of the ball will be contributors to Moton's prediction coming to fruition. The offseason is the time to shore up your needs. The Patriots didn't do enough. Injuries happen in any NFL season, and quality depth is essential. The Patriots don't have it.
With their arduous 17-game 2026 schedule loaded with better teams, expect a dip in performance and a worse record as a result, as Bleacher Report suggests.
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