The Patriots went into the 2026 offseason in a position to retool their roster rather than completely overhaul it. That can't be said about the others in the AFC East, besides the Bills, who mostly needed to add some upgrades at particular positions, and that's exactly what they have attempted to do so far in free agency.
Both the Dolphins and the Jets have made significant changes at quarterback, especially Miami, going all-in by cutting Tua Tagovailoa and bringing in Malik Davis. They've already made it clear that they're stripping the team down to build it back up and furthered that by trading WR Jaylen Waddle and releasing Tyreek Hill.
Willis becomes a new threat for the Patriots to deal with this fall, as he was an exciting prospect coming out of college and wasn't really given much of a chance to do much of anything since he got into the NFL.
That'll change as he becomes the Dolphins' starter, and fortunately for the Patriots, they have already added a player who knows how to throw him off his game, which will surely make their upcoming matchups a bit more exciting to watch.
Kevin Byard III made things difficult for Malik Willis in 2025 - he can do the same for the Patriots this season
To get even more excited about what Byard is set to inevitably bring to the Patriots' secondary, fans were reflecting upon some of his most memorable highlights from the 2025 season, one of which was a game-altering play involving Willis.
During a one-point game between the Packers and Bears, Byard unexpectedly brought the pressure to the quarterback, strip-sacking him on a first-down play to give the Bears a big opportunity.
#Patriots S Kevin Byard already knows Dolphins QB Malik Willis very wellpic.twitter.com/1yyBryWVaH
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) March 16, 2026
It was a play that eventually helped keep the Bears in the game on the road, which would go into overtime, and Chicago would sneak out the win.
It's that kind of effort that Byard will bring to the Patriots' defense, and it's an example of why Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf were excited to sign him, even if some fans were not thrilled given his age and contract.
He's going to be a difference maker and add even more talent to an already impressive secondary led by Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, and his familiarity with Willis, even if it's limited, could play a role in that success.