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The 2026 NFL season is finally here, and the Patriots are kicking things off with a Super Bowl LX rematch. You’re forgiven if you haven’t been digesting every update from over a month of training camp practices, and if you didn’t have a passionate take on whether Channing Canada or Kindle Vildor (both real cornerbacks on the 2026 squad) deserved a spot on the 53-man roster. So, if you’ve only peripherally followed the Patriots since they lost to the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX (surely, you heard some news about the head coach in April), here’s what you need to know about this year’s team. The new guys Signed: FB Reggie Gilliam, WR Romeo Doubs, TE Tanner Arkin, Cameron Latu, OL Greg Van Roten, LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, LB Erick Hunter, OLB Dre’Mont Jones, LB Darius Muasau, S Kevin Byard, CB Channing Canada Drafted: QB Behren Morton, TE Eli Raridon, OT Dametrious Crownover, OT Caleb Lomu, OLB Quintayvious Hutchins, OLB Gabe Jacas, LB Namdi Obiazor, CB Karon Prunty Acquired via trade: RB Corey Kiner, WR A.J. Brown, OL Walter Rouse, S Jaylen Reed That’s correct. The Patriots made the Super Bowl last season, then turned over 43.4% of their roster. The biggest names to know: Brown, who was acquired for a 2028 first-round pick, Doubs, Vera-Tucker, Jones and Byard, all of whom were signed in free agency to be starters, and Raridon, Lomu and Jacas, their top picks. Who’s gone QB Joshua Dobbs, FB Jack Westover, WR Kayshon Boutte, WR Stefon Diggs, TE CJ Dippre, TE Austin Hooper, C Garrett Bradbury, OT Vederian Lowe, OT Thayer Munford, OL Caedan Wallace, DT Khyiris Tonga, OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, LB Jack Gibbens, OLB Anfernee Jennings, LB Marte Mapu, LB Chad Muma, OLB Bradyn Swinson, LB Jahlani Tavai, CB Alex Austin, S Jaylinn Hawkins, CB Kobee Minor Boutte, Diggs, Bradbury, Chaisson and Hawkins were all starters on the Super Bowl LX squad. The Patriots ultimately upgraded in most starting roles. They did lose some key depth, however, and could miss guys like Lowe, Tonga, Gibbens and Jennings. The Patriots are a very young team with many key backup roles filled by first- or second-year players. Who’s injured P Bryce Baringer, OT Marcus Bryant, TE Julian Hill, LB Khalil Jacobs, OLB Harold Landry, S Brenden Schooler Hill, who was signed to be Hunter Henry’s backup, is the only player in that group lost for the year. Baringer, Bryant and Jacobs are all on injured reserve and eligible to return after four weeks. Landry and Schooler are on the PUP and NFI lists, respectively, and are also able to come back after four weeks. Biggest strength Quarterback Drake Maye, who finished second in MVP voting last season, should be even better next season for a few reasons. 1. This is Maye’s second season with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, which means he should be much more comfortable within a complex system that asks a lot out of its quarterback. 2. Maye’s pass-catching corps should be significantly better and more dependable this season. A.J. Brown replaces Kayshon Boutte in the X role, Romeo Doubs subs in for Mack Hollins at Z, and DeMario Douglas replaces Stefon Diggs in the slot. Then he has Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism as backups, Henry at Raridon at tight end, and Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson at running back. Brown and Doubs should be one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. 3. The offensive line is stronger on paper. Left tackle Will Campbell enters his second season fully healthy. Alijah Vera-Tucker, barring injury, is a major upgrade over Jared Wilson, playing out of position, at left guard. Wilson moves to center, where he has higher potential than Bradbury. Then the right side of the line stays the same with Mike Onwenu at right guard and Morgan Moses at right tackle. The interior offensive line depth is solidified with Ben Brown and Greg Van Roten. Lomu will serve as the swing tackle to start the season with another rookie, Crownover, behind him on the depth chart. That’s a little shaky, but Lomu did improve as the summer went along. Potential weakness Pass rush. The plan seemed fine on paper. The Patriots would replace Chaisson with Jones, draft Jacas in the second round, keep developing Ponder, a 2025 UDFA, and hope that Landry would get healthy. That would leave Jones and Landry as starters with Ponder and Jacas coming off the sideline. Landry didn’t practice all summer and begins the summer on the PUP list, and Jacas missed the spring, signed his rookie contract on the first day of training camp then missed another week on the non-football injury list. He didn’t look like a player ready to contribute in Week 1 during three preseason games. But he has to. Because behind Jacas is Hutchins, a seventh-round pick, and Jose Ramirez, who has no NFL experience on the practice squad. The Patriots will need to manufacture pressure by blitzing and trusting their secondary. Biggest storyline Unless … Top cornerback Christian Gonzalez sits out amid a contract dispute. Gonzalez, entering his fourth NFL season and under contract through 2027, has been eligible for a contract extension since March. Numerous other first-round picks from his draft class have signed extensions, and he’s acknowledged frustration that his has not been completed yet. He deserves to be the top-paid cornerback in the NFL, and the Patriots have said they’re willing to make him that. But clearly something in the language of the offer is giving Gonzalez and his agent pause. Some agencies won’t continue negotiating during the season, which makes Wednesday a potential deadline. Expectations Even after making Super Bowl LX, the Patriots are not favored to win the AFC East. The Bills are -136 favorites to win the division, while the Patriots have +125 odds. At +1800, the Patriots have the eighth-best odds — tied with the Texans and Bengals — to win Super Bowl LXI. Their over/under win total is set somewhere between 9.5 (over is -150) and 10.5 (under is -140). The Patriots have an extremely difficult schedule, and Super Bowl hangovers are common for teams on the losing end. So, based on odds, it would come as a slight surprise if the Patriots were willing to get back to the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s second season. But expectations should still be set high. The Patriots have one of the league’s best quarterbacks, the reigning NFL coach of the year and better starters across the board. All of which is to say, this season should be another fun one for the fanbase.