New England Patriots News

Former Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has reached agreement on a three-year deal with the New England Patriots, worth up to $48 million. The 14th overall pick in 2021 has shown flashes of dominance throughout his injury-riddled career, but has had difficulty staying on the field through five years in the league. He has played in only 43 of a possible 85 games while facing significant season-ending injuries such as a torn Achilles and two torn triceps, one of which cost him his entire 2025 season. With the Patriots trading 2025 starting center Garrett Bradbury to the Bears, second-year lineman Jared Wilson is expected to kick in from left guard to his natural position at the pivot. Vera-Tucker projects to slot in at the vacated guard spot between Wilson and fellow sophomore Will Campbell, bringing a veteran presence to the left side of a line that saw its share of postseason struggles.

Free-agent tight end Austin Hooper is signing a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Hooper was originally drafted by Atlanta in the third round in 2016 out of Stanford. The 31-year-old veteran spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Falcons and was a Pro Bowler with them in 2018 and 2019. He then bounced around with the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and New England Patriots. Hooper hasn't been as productive as he was in his final two seasons in Atlanta, and in his return, he'll be a backup to TE Kyle Pitts Sr. In 16 regular-season games (six starts) for the Patriots last year, Hooper had just 21 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Unless Pitts is traded or injured in 2026, Hooper won't be on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues this fall.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye finished his sophomore season with 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns, tacking on an additional 450 yards and four scores on the ground on his way to finishing second in a historically close MVP race. However, his performance dipped substantially during a four-game postseason run against a murderer's row of defenses. Heading into year three, he will be without his leading receiver from 2025, following the recent release of 11-year veteran Stefon Diggs. The Patriots have been tied to several of the top names on the receiver trade and free-agent markets, but unless they can add a notable player to the room, the current group could struggle against upper-echelon defenses. With a first-place schedule and a larger target on his back, Maye has a tough road ahead to repeating his 2025 success.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson had seven rushing touchdowns for the second straight season during the regular season and helped the team advance to the Super Bowl. However, the 28-year-old took a step back in 2025 with 603 rushing yards on a career-low 130 carries (4.6 yards per attempt) in 14 regular-season games. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson led New England's backfield with 911 rushing yards and nine TDs on 180 carries (5.1 yards per tote). The 28-year-old Stevenson was the Patriots' No. 1 back by default last year, but Henderson was more productive and almost certainly will have the opportunity to pass Stevenson on the RB depth chart in 2026. That will be especially true if Stevenson's ball-security issues resurface -- he lost two more fumbles last season. Stevenson might be more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex in 2026 with less volume.

Three-year veteran quarterback Tommy DeVito has reached an agreement on a two-year, $7.4 million deal to return to the New England Patriots, per his agent Sean Stellato and NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Devito served as the team's emergency third quarterback in 2025 after being claimed off waivers. With Joshua Dobbs still under contract for 2026, Devito could compete for the primary backup role behind Drake Maye or bolster the room similarly to his first year in New England. The deal includes a guaranteed $2 million, about half the amount guaranteed to Doubs when he signed a similar two-year pact before the 2025 season.

The New England Patriots informed four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs that they are releasing him after the start of the new league year next week, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The Patriots will not have to pay Diggs the $6 million option in his contract that was set to become fully guaranteed next Friday. The 32-year-old veteran was New England's top wideout and helped the Patriots get back to the Super Bowl, where they ultimately lost to the Seattle Seahawks. Diggs caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards (his seventh 1,000-yard season) and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in his only season with the team. The former fifth-rounder of the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 out of Maryland still has plenty left in the tank, but his new home may not afford him WR1 targets. Meanwhile, the Pats could be setting things up to try to acquire pass-catcher A.J. Brown from the Eagles.

The Athletic's Chad Graff writes that the New England Patriots "will make a call soon" on wide receiver Stefon Diggs' future, and it could mean cutting the 32-year-old veteran or restructuring his contract as early as next week. Diggs is set to carry a $26.5 million salary cap hit this year, and his contract guarantees him $6 million if he's on the roster on March 13. New England is in a tough position, as Diggs became the first Patriots receiver in six years to top 1,000 receiving yards in a season, and it would be counterproductive for quarterback Drake Maye if the team were to cut their best WR. A league source expects the Pats to cut Diggs, unless they're able to "dramatically lower his cap hit with a reworked contract." If the Patriots do cut Diggs, Graff expects them to look at Mike Evans or Alec Pierce (if he's available). The other free-agent options at WR are not great.

New England Patriots left tackle Will Campbell (knee) isn't expected to need offseason knee surgery, sources close to the 22-year-old told Mike Reiss of ESPN. Campbell suffered a torn right MCL on Nov. 23, and it negatively affected his performance in the postseason and the Super Bowl LX loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Barring a setback this offseason, Campbell is "in position to be a full participant in the team's voluntary offseason program that begins in mid-April." Despite his struggles to close out his rookie season, the Pats will stick with Campbell as quarterback Drake Maye's blind-side protector in 2026. "He's technically sound. He's adding more and more different pass sets to his tool bag that he can use to combat different rushes. And again, he's 22 years old, and we expect some improvement out of him as well," vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said.

The New England Patriots released running back Antonio Gibson (knee) on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Gibson had a lost season in 2025 with New England, suffering a season-ending torn ACL in Week 5. The 27-year-old finished with a career-low 25 carries for 106 yards and one touchdown in his five games last year in his second season with the Pats. He'll head to the open market this offseason, most likely searching for a depth role in the backfield. Gibson's lone 1,000-yard season in the NFL came in his second year in the league in 2021 with the Washington Commanders. Since his first two years in the league, Gibson has struggled to be productive, gaining a total of 1,455 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns on 359 carries over four seasons. Gibson also has experience as a return man on special teams, which will make him more attractive on the open market.

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins has mostly been a journeyman throughout his career, playing for six different teams across eight NFL seasons. The 32-year-old established a consistent role with New England in 2025, hauling in 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns on 65 targets, his most productive statline since the 2022 season. Hollins is known as one of the NFL's best run-blocking wide receivers, which helps him stay on the field despite his limited pass-catching ability. The veteran wideout is under contract with the Patriots for the 2026 season and should continue to play a role with the team. However, New England could look to shift more playing time towards young wideouts Kayshon Boutte and Kyle Williams, both of whom flashed upside at different points in 2025. Even if Hollins sees a significant snap share again in 2026, he's never recorded 60 catches or 700 receiving yards in a season and carries limited upside for fantasy managers in dynasty leagues

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas had a disappointing third year in the NFL, even though his team advanced all the way to the Super Bowl. The 25-year-old pass-catcher had career lows in catches (31), targets (46), and receiving yards (447) while scoring just three touchdowns for the second straight season in 17 regular-season games. Quarterback Drake Maye was in the running for MVP honors in his second season, but Douglas just couldn't stand out in a crowded receiving corps that also included Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and rookie Kyle Williams. His 447 receiving yards were fifth on the team, and he added seven carries for 21 yards on the ground. Douglas will be in a contract year in 2026, but with all of the above-mentioned receivers returning to New England, it's hard to envision Douglas becoming a strong weekly fantasy football option.

Since signing with the New England Patriots in 2021, tight end Hunter Henry has turned in a top-12 finish in three of five seasons, never finishing below TE21. While he lacks the big game consistency to stay off the waiver wire in redraft formats, he's the exact type of player drafters should be targeting in the later rounds of best ball drafts, especially in three-tight-end builds. Henry has become a trusted red zone weapon for Drake Maye and has five multi-touchdown games in his career, providing occasional week-winning spikes that can be difficult to predict when streaming the position. Henry finished as the TE7 in 2025 and is currently going outside the top 12 at the position in early best ball drafts.

A highly-touted second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson flashed both explosive upside and some reason for concern as a rookie. Across 17 games played, the 23-year-old recorded 1,132 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on 215 touches, which landed him third in the Offensive Rookie of the Year vote. Henderson also got better as the year progressed, recording 683 of his 911 total rushing yards and eight of his nine rushing touchdowns after Week 8. However, a portion of Henderson's second-half production came with fellow Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined by injury. Once Stevenson returned down the stretch of the season, New England largely operated with an even playing time split between the two backs. In the playoffs, Stevenson earned 70 touches to Henderson's 35 as the Patriots opted in favor of the more consistent between-the-tackles runner. Both backs are under contract for 2026 and beyond, which means Henderson is unlikely to see a true RB1 workload in the immediate future. Still, his upside as both a rusher and receiver should allow him to maintain his dynasty value after an encouraging rookie season.

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs pleaded not guilty on Friday to felony strangulation and other criminal charges stemming from an alleged dispute with his personal chef, according to ESPN. According to court records, the chef told officers that she and Diggs argued about the money he owed her for her work. During a Dec. 2 encounter at his home, she said Diggs "smacked her across the face" and "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck." Diggs' attorney said he "categorically denies these allegations." "He is completely innocent. He will be completely exonerated," Diggs' attorney, Mitchell Schuster, said. The 32-year-old wideout is next scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing on April 1. In his first year in New England in 2025, Diggs helped the Pats reach the Super Bowl, finishing the regular season as the WR18 in half-PPR scoring with 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. He should be one of quarterback Drake Maye's top targets again in 2026.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams flew under the radar for most of his rookie season, catching just 10 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Williams' underproduction wasn't necessarily due to a lack of talent, as the third-round pick has made big plays throughout his college career and early in his NFL career. Rather, he was buried on the depth chart behind players like Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and even DeMario Douglas. New England doesn't have any impending free agent wide receivers, but Williams still has the potential to climb up the depth chart entering his second season. Year 2 is a common time for young receivers to make a major leap, so we wouldn't be surprised if Williams contributes at a much higher rate in 2026. It's a bit too early to invest in the Washington State product in redraft leagues, but he's a solid, affordable dynasty buy heading into the offseason.

New England Patriots left tackle Will Campbell (knee) said he tore a ligament in his knee during the 2025 season and wasn't 100% for the playoffs, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. Campbell was a weak spot on New England's offensive line during four postseason games this year, allowing 29 pressures in four games. The 22-year-old's injury helps explain why he was so bad to end the year, and head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that the team isn't going to move him off left tackle going into his second year in the NFL. The Patriots took Campbell fourth overall in last year's NFL Draft out of LSU. If he's past his knee injury for the 2026 campaign, Campbell should have better results as he protects quarterback Drake Maye's blind side. Maye was sacked a whopping 21 times in four playoff games and fumbled seven times, losing four of them.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (shoulder) acknowledged that the hit he took in the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos was significant as it relates to his right throwing shoulder, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Maye was managing his shoulder injury in the two weeks leading into Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks, but both Maye and the Patriots downplayed the severity. Maye admitted that his shoulder was an issue in the 29-13 loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl, in which he went 27-for-43 passing for 295 yards and two touchdowns. The second-year QB threw picks and lost a fumble as well in what was a disappointing finish to an excellent second year for the North Carolina product. Maye doesn't expect to require surgery, though, and he should be fully healthy going into the 2026 campaign. The 23-year-old led the NFL with a 72% completion percentage during the regular season and finished as a top-five fantasy QB, although New England's regular-season schedule was extremely soft.

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught all three of his targets for 37 yards during Sunday's Super Bowl LX loss against the Seattle Seahawks. Diggs produced every time the ball was thrown his way, but he didn't quite live up to his expectations as New England's No. 1 receiver. Although it was a tough game for the Patriots' wide receivers all around, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas started to produce in the second half, and the two ultimately combined for nine catches, 123 yards, and a touchdown. Diggs had an up-and-down regular season, but it should be chalked up to a success given that he had 85 catches, 1,013 yards, and four touchdowns. The veteran's contract is designed to give the Patriots a potential out this offseason, but if New England chooses to bring him back, he'll remain a top-25 wide receiver in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 23 yards on seven carries during Sunday's Super Bowl LX loss against the Seattle Seahawks. He also caught all five of his targets for an additional 40 receiving yards. Stevenson struggled rushing the ball, but he remained involved and effective in the passing game as New England prioritized shorter pass attempts over deep shots downfield. This was a familiar trend for Stevenson, who essentially won back the primary ball-carrier role after returning from injury in late November. Even with second-round rookie Tre'Veyon Henderson in the mix, Stevenson tallied 603 rushing yards, 32 catches, 345 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns across 14 contests. He averaged 12.8 full-PPR points per game, finishing the year as the overall RB25. Henderson should get even more involved next season, but Stevenson will still have a sizable role. He enters 2026 fantasy drafts as a mid-to-low RB3/flex option.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 27 of his 43 pass attempts for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions during Sunday's Super Bowl loss against the Seattle Seahawks. He also rushed for 37 yards, took six sacks, and lost a fumble. Maye had a spectacular season, putting together an MVP-caliber campaign during just his second year in the NFL. He remained successful throughout most of the postseason, adapting to a mix of weather conditions while taking down three top defenses en route to a Super Bowl berth. However, the hot streak ended there, as Maye was stymied by an elite Seattle defense. His three turnovers were momentum-killers in a game that had 15 punts and five field goals. He struggled with ball placement when passing, too, and his passing yard total isn't exactly indicative of the game he had. In fact, 235 of Maye's 295 passing yards came in the fourth quarter, setting a new Super Bowl single-quarter record as he took advantage of the Seahawks playing a more relaxed style of defense in the final minutes. Arguably, the best part of Maye's game was his five rushing attempts, which often moved the chains and gave New England a glimmer of hope. Still, Maye's struggles when passing and inability to handle pressure in a collapsing pocket cost New England the game. He'll enter the offseason with his work cut out for him, especially as the Patriots prepare for a tougher schedule in 2026. Maye might not replicate his 2025 stats next year, but he's still a safe bet to rank among the top five quarterbacks in 2026 fantasy football drafts.