The Patriots are headed into training camp with plenty of attention on the big names, but the real shape of their 2026 roster could be decided by a few quieter battles. Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, Christian Gonzalez and even DeAndre Hopkins are all part of the larger conversation, yet the next few weeks may end up telling a different story: which lesser-known players force their way into real roles.
Three names stand out as the ones most likely to change the picture.
Lan Larison looks like the kind of back who can carve out a job in a hurry. TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson are set to handle the bulk of the carries again after helping power the sixth-ranked rushing offense in the regular season, but Antonio Gibson’s release opened the door for a new RB3.
Terrell Jennings has gotten some work, and the Patriots also drafted Alabama’s Jam Miller in the seventh round. Even so, Larison has the profile that fits what New England wants.
The 2025 UDFA brings a compact build that matches the team’s preference for backs who can handle work between the tackles. He also showed real receiving chops at UC Davis, finishing his final season with 62 catches for 847 yards and 6 touchdowns, while leading the Aggies in both receptions and receiving yards.
On top of that, he has special-teams value. Larison handled 49 kick returns in his college career, including 43 returns across the 2021 and 2022 seasons for 1,186 yards, an average of 26.2 yards per return.
That kind of all-purpose profile is exactly why he could end up looking like the 2026 version of Rex Burkhead.
Up front, Andrew Rupcich has already started making his case. The Patriots overhauled the interior of the offensive line this offseason, with Jared Wilson moving from guard to center and Alijah Vera-Tucker arriving on a three-year deal to take over that spot. Ben Brown is still the top backup, but New England is likely to keep another interior reserve, and Rupcich has put himself in position to be that guy.
He got early spring work next to Brown at left guard while Vera-Tucker was out, and that put him ahead of Caedan Wallace and the rest of the competition. At 325 pounds, Rupcich has the kind of size that matches the starters, and that could matter in Josh McDaniels’ eyes, especially with his preference for gap scheme running.
Then there’s Chad Muma, who has a real chance to become the next important backup linebacker. The Patriots lost all three of their backup linebackers this offseason: Jack Gibbens signed with the Cardinals despite being an RFA, Jahlani Tavai was released, and Marte Mapu was traded to the Texans. That leaves a clear opening.
New England added K.J. Britt in free agency and drafted Namdi Obiazor in the sixth round, but Muma has already shown enough to stay in the mix.
The former Wyoming linebacker was a third-round pick by the Jaguars in 2022, was waived after three seasons, and later signed with the Colts. He played in five games for Indianapolis last year before landing on the practice squad, then joined the Patriots after Robert Spillane’s injury.
From Week 16 on, he logged 131 special teams snaps and 29 defensive snaps.
His experience in Zak Kuhr’s defense could give him the edge. Muma finished his first three seasons with 94 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and if he can replace Gibbens as the third linebacker and a core special-teamer, that would be a significant gain for both the roster and Kuhr’s unit.
In Other News…
Patriots Camp Just Sent A Troubling Message About The Receiver Battle
The first days of Patriots training camp have already started to clarify how the receiver room is being shaped, and not in a way that suggests much comfort for the players fighting for depth spots. Between fan events, practice sessions and a steady stream of roster movement, New England has been busy trimming, adding and sorting out the back end of the roster while coaches and executives have met with reporters and laid out the early camp picture.
One of the more notable moves came when the Patriots claimed rookie wide receiver Kobe Prentice off waivers from the Panthers, a sign that the competition is very much still open even as the team keeps churning the roster around it. New England also added tight end Jeremiah Franklin and Gabe Jacas, with the latter expected to start on the NFI list, while releasing first-year offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez to make room. For a receiver group trying to establish itself early in camp, the message has been pretty clear: every practice rep matters, and the margin for error is already shrinking. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Dropped An Early Roster Clue Fans Will Obsess Over
Mondays walkthrough at Patriots training camp was a quieter setting after two more intense practices, but it still offered a useful glimpse at how the early roster picture is taking shape. Lan Larison continued to work as the third running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, a sign that the backfield hierarchy is already starting to settle as camp moves along.
The more interesting squeeze may be at the bottom of the depth chart, where Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III are rotating for what looks like one final wide receiver spot behind the established top options. Tanner Arkin is also getting meaningful reps at tight end, giving the Patriots another name to watch as they sort through the next layer of roster decisions. [Read more 🡒]
A.J. Brown Just Put Patriots Fans On Edge About Drake Maye
A.J. Brown managed to stir up a little Patriots anxiety without ever putting on a New England uniform. A joking comment about Drake Maye and the way the quarterback was being handled in early training camp quickly spread online, and for a fan base desperate to see its young passer take a real step forward, even a throwaway line from a rival star was enough to get people talking.
Browns words land differently because he has also spoken highly of Maye, praising his leadership and the way he processes defenses and adjustments while saying the quarterback can make any throw. Still, Browns own history, from his messy exit in Philadelphia to the leaks he later admitted he was behind last season, gives plenty of readers reason to wonder whether there was more edge in the comment than the joke suggested. [Read more 🡒]