The 2026 offseason has been a busy one for the New England Patriots. Glaring weaknesses were exposed in the Super Bowl and Mike Vrabel and his personnel team had to try to fix them.
One unit that was solid in 2025 and will be even better this season is the defensive secondary, led by superstar Christian Gonzalez.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks the Patriots' secondary No. 1 in the NFL. While getting the top rating from any analytical group is always nice to hear, getting one from PFF is the cherry on top. It's recognition from maybe the best analytical outfit covering the NFL that your unit is a difference-maker. This is great to hear since other Patriots' defensive units have issues.
Defenses need solid play upfront to truly enjoy the benefits of a great defense. The Patriots' defensive front has two top defensive tackles in Milton Williams and Christian Barmore.
But depth there, on the edge, and at inside linebacker is thin. In light of this, the secondary will be charged with making up for any deficiencies in the pass rush and run-stopping. It's not just helpful; it's essential.
The New England Patriots secondary is second to none in the NFL
Pro Football Focus starts with the obvious in evaluating the Patriots' secondary and assigning it a ranking. The key guy is lockdown cornerback Christian Gonzalez, one of the NFL's best corners, a former second-team All-Pro, and a 2025 Pro Bowler.
"This is a top-tier secondary that is only going to get better. The focal point, Christian Gonzalez, allowed a league-low 43.4% completion rate when targeted last season. Rookie safety Craig Woodson put together the best run-defense season of any safety with an 89.7 PFF run-defense grade.
He’ll be joined by veteran three-time All-Pro Kevin Byard this season, who led the league with seven interceptions last year. This secondary brings a brilliant blend of youth and experience. New England was the only unit to log four games without a missed tackle last season."
Woodson was a revelation as a fourth-round pick last season. The 25-year-old played in all 17 games and started 15 of them at strong safety. He's emerging as a solid pro and is assuming a leadership role with his command of a defense now in its second year.
His development won't be hurt at all by joining up with first-team All-Pro free safety Kevin Byard III to assist.
Joining them are solid cover cornerback, Carlton Davis III, and super slot corner, Marcus Jones. He's electric with the ball in his hands and is also a very capable slot corner, despite his rather diminutive size.
The depth is also decent with Dell Pettus, Mike Brown, Kindle Vildor, Marcellas Dial Jr., and Charles Woods as backups.
The Patriots are fortunate to have a great secondary to make up for deficiencies on the edge, and a lack of depth at defensive tackle and inside linebacker. The first two levels of the defense are loaded with question marks, as the pass rush and run defense remain suspect.
If they don't materialize, the defensive secondary will be charged with picking up the slack. PFF likes the Patriots' secondary and rightly so. They will play an integral part in any 2026 defensive success the team experiences.
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