The New England Patriots had an active offseason, with the likes of A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Kevin Byard all added via free agency. They went on to trade up to select Caleb Lomu in the first round, and then traded up again in the second round to secure Gabe Jacas' services.
The team made impressive improvements this spring, but making another Super Bowl will require strong depth as well. This depth is mostly established, but the winners of a few key camp battles will give the team the edge they need to further improve at the last few roster spots.
The 5 camp battles that Patriots fans will want to watch this summer
Running Back
Names to Watch: Lan Larison, Terrell Jennings, Jam Miller
The Patriots have a clear top two in the running back room, but after releasing Antonio Gibson, they're still trying to find their third. TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson offer complementary skill sets, meaning the team has flexibility in the style of back they'd select for the role. As things stand, three players stick out as candidates: Larison, Jennings, and Miller.
Larison was a tremendous collegiate player, totaling over 2,300 offensive yards during his final season for UC Davis. He took 7 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown in a 48-18 preseason drubbing of the Commanders last season, but he was placed on season-ending IR with a broken foot following the matchup.
Jennings stepped in for Gibson after he tore his ACL in Week 5. While he missed time with a concussion later in the year, he took 23 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown in seven games played. 3.2 yards per carry is a low figure, but he was used primarily as a short-yardage back.
He took 11 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta when he was tasked with filling in for Stevenson.
Miller is the third likely candidate for the role. He's the only one of the three who was a draft pick, selected 245th overall out of Alabama in April. He took 130 carries for 504 yards (3.9 YPC) and three touchdowns. He also had 109 yards receiving.
His speed (4.42s 40-yard dash) and size (5-foot-10, 209 pounds) make him an exciting prospect. While he didn't return kicks during his collegiate career, he would appear to be a prime candidate to do so with the NFL's dynamic kickoff.
Prediction: Larison makes the team as the RB3, Jennings finds a home elsewhere, and Miller lands on the practice squad.
Tight End
Names to Watch: Jack Westover, C.J. Dippre, Tanner Arkin
The Patriots' tight end room will look different from what was expected this year. Hunter Henry remains the starter, but Julian Hill, thought to be the heir apparent to Austin Hooper, landed on season-ending IR with a knee injury described by Mike Vrabel as "devastating". Third-round selection Eli Raridon will be the TE2, but the team will likely carry a third.
Following the addition of Reggie Gilliam to the squad, the team no longer needs Westover's services in the backfield. It was reported that he made the move back to tight end to take Hill's snaps, giving him the inside track.
Both Dippre and Arkin received large signing bonuses as UDFAs in 2025 and 2026, but both look to be on the outside looking in as things stand. While I hope one of them can break onto the 53 and replace Westover, they play a near-identical role with little to no NFL experience on their resumes.
For a team looking to compete for a Super Bowl, a player who played 316 offensive snaps, albeit at a different position, may be more attractive. 237 snaps on special teams only add to his resume.
Prediction: Westover's experience keeps him on the roster, Dippre and Arkin are signed to the practice squad.
Wide Receiver
Names to Watch: Kayshon Boutte, Pop Douglas, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III
While Kyle Dixon, Cameron Dorner, and Jimmy Kibble all have strong collegiate resumes as UDFAs, the Patriots' top six wide receivers seem a lock barring a trade. A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs are the clear starters, with Mack Hollins a veteran presence behind them. Williams and Chism offer youth on cheap contracts, and while Boutte and Douglas do the same, they're both in contract years.
Boutte has more trade value than Douglas does, but it may be overzealous to trade him before August. In the event of an injury to Brown, Doubs, or Hollins, having Boutte is a nice insurance policy. It's likely that if Douglas isn't with the team, it will be due to his release rather than a trade.
While Douglas is an established NFL player, a replacement wouldn't be difficult to find. While he played 29 offensive snaps in the Super Bowl, Chism outsnapped him in the divisional round despite Douglas' touchdown. Josh McDaniels may be more inclined to move forward with Chism and allow Douglas to find a new home.
Prediction: Boutte is traded late in the offseason, Douglas is released, Williams and Chism see snaps in rotational roles.
Linebacker
Names to Watch: K.J. Britt, Chad Muma, Namdi Obiazor, Khalil Jacobs
Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss will start once again, but the Patriots' depth took a major hit this offseason. Jack Gibbens signed elsewhere after recording 86 tackles and a sack last season, while Jahlani Tavai was released, and Marte Mapu was traded. The Patriots have three roles to fill.
Conveniently enough, three linebackers are atop the position that would appear to be prime candidates to fill those roles. The team signed Britt to a one-year deal worth just over $1.2 million. He's likely the top depth option.
While he didn't see much defensive action with the Dolphins last season, he had 72 tackles with the Buccaneers in 2024.
The team signed Muma in December following an injury to Spillane, and while he played just 29 defensive snaps from Week 17 onwards, he logged 131 special teams snaps over that span. New England lost nearly 1,000 special teams snaps across the three players who departed, meaning Muma will likely see an uptick this season.
His time advantage in Zak Kuhr's system, though minimal, could give the former third-round pick a slight advantage over his competition.
Eliot Wolf spoke multiple times on the depth of the linebacker class before the draft, and he certainly dipped into that well. The team selected Namdi Obiazor of TCU in the sixth round, and met with Missouri's Khalil Jacobs three times before the draft. While they didn't select him, he was signed. Obiazor has a better chance to make the team, but don't sleep on Jacobs.
Prediction: Britt, Muma, and Obiazor make the 53 while seeing significant special teams work, while Jacobs is signed to the practice squad.
Cornerback
Names to Watch: Kindle Vildor, Charles Woods, Karon Prunty
The battle for the fourth cornerback role will be an interesting one. Free agent signing Kindle Vildor is the most experienced option, with over 2,400 defensive snaps in his six-year career and 164 last season for the Buccaneers.
He's allowed a 67% completion rate, 15 touchdowns, and has 2 interceptions in his career. He's not especially accomplished, but his experience and sure tackling (5 missed tackles in the last three seasons) could see him rostered.
After Alex Austin was placed on IR last year, Woods took his place, and he played reasonably well. He allowed 8 catches for 98 yards with one missed tackle on the season. He played in 13 games last season, and after playing 10+ snaps three times in his first eight games, he did so in each of his last five. Furthermore, 60.3% of his defensive snaps came from Week 15 onwards, meaning recency bias favors him.
Prunty was a somewhat surprising draft pick in the fifth round after not receiving a Combine invite, despite being a five-year college player and ACC starter who allowed a sub-50% completion rate in 2025. Prunty's 4.45s 40-yard dash at his Pro Day showed the NFL world he has potential. His draft status could give him an advantage early in his career.
Prediction: Woods and Prunty make the roster, while Vildor sticks around on the practice squad as a veteran option.
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