With the 2026 NFL Draft right around the corner, there has been a lot of discourse regarding what positions the Patriots should prioritize early in the draft, and it appears that offensive tackle and EDGE will ultimately be the way to go.
It certainly makes sense, but at the same time, they can't continue to ignore some of the biggest remaining roster holes, and one is not being discussed enough: a returner on special teams.
Because they chose to release running back Antonio Gibson, there is currently no frontrunner for that role other than Marcus Jones, who is expected to remain the top option. But it's also not the best choice, mainly because they still want to use him in the secondary, and putting him in a position to get tackled hard on special teams doesn't seem like a good idea.
They could instead turn their attention to a returning player who spent the entirety of his rookie season in 2025 injured: running back Lan Larison.
Before the injury, Larison impressed during training camp and looked well on his way to earning a depth spot on the roster. He's now set to return for the 2026 season, and based on his recent comments about his goals, he should be on the Patriots' radar as an option for the needy special teams role.
There's a good chance that Lan Larison could become the Patriots' next top returner
During a recent appearance on the Aggie Pride podcast, Larison shared his goal of hoping to be completely healthy for the upcoming season and his plan to "dive headfirst" into what he feels he can and should be for his team.
He also emphasized his excitement about returning and showing off his versatility on the field, and he is prepared to serve any role the Patriots might give him, most notably on special teams.
"But overall just being a better player, better athlete and really standing out in a singular role would be my goals going forward. I’m pretty proud that I could play a lot of different positions and that they are trusting me that I could play a lot of different positions whether it’s on punt, kick return, kickoff.
Our special teams coach was just like, ‘Be ready. I might just throw you in in the preseason.’ Just for them to have that kind of trust in me that I can do those things and I’m just ready for an opportunity wherever.”
That's the kind of attitude that Mike Vrabel loves to hear, and seeing that Larison is already feeling this determined months before the season begins is a good sign.
It's certainly good for the team's future, particularly on special teams, and if he can pick up where he left off last summer, we could be looking at the Patriots' future returner. There's a chance he earns the RB3 role behind TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, which he could serve well.
But there's also a chance he could carve out a bigger role for himself with the third unit, and that would address a big weakness that not enough people are talking about when discussing the Patriots' 2026 season.
It would be much better than consistently testing different guys every week and risking injury to starters, while elevating the group's overall production. We'll just have to see if Larison can replicate the path he was on before his injury. Otherwise, they'll need to look elsewhere for help.