The New England Patriots have one of the league's best defenses, and it got even better this offseason.
While the big money last offseason was spent on the front seven, the future of the secondary was secured during the season and is set to be even further in the coming months following an expected Christian Gonzalez extension.
Last season saw Jaylinn Hawkins' breakout with 71 tackles and 4 interceptions, and rookie Craig Woodson make his impact felt alongside him. Marcus Jones secured himself as one of the best slot cornerbacks in football and earned a three-year extension.
Carlton Davis had a roller-coaster first season with the team, but played at a high level during the playoffs. Christian Gonzalez allowed the lowest completion percentage in the league at 43.4%.
The 2026 season will be an exciting one for the Patriots' secondary
The 2026 season will feature a slightly new cast of characters, but four of the five starters in the secondary remain. Hawkins signed a two-year deal with the Ravens in free agency, but New England added 2025 league interceptions leader Kevin Byard in his place: a more than respectable replacement.
Given their upgrade at safety, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Carlton Davis is excited about the group in 2026:
"I feel like we’re coming right in where we left off, playing at a high level [with] good chemistry. It’s just so good to have all the guys back. When you have everybody here, you just can feel the momentum that we had last year. And even the new additions are coming in with the same mentality. So yeah, it’s been fun."
The Patriots' defense ranked 9th in pass yards allowed last season but 19th in turnovers per game, at 1.1. In the playoffs, however, that figure rose to 2.0, which would have ranked them first during the regular season.
If they can remain in the top-ten passing defenses in 2026 and continue their trend of takeaways, there's no reason the team can't make a deep run again.
All in all, New England's secondary looks scary. With the return of four of the five starters and the addition of Byard, fans should be just as amped as Davis.
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