It’s hard to complain about success in the NFL - especially when you’re the New England Patriots. But the Patriots ended up in a pretty unenviable situation here. Everyone was criticizing their path to the Super Bowl. Everyone was rooting against them. And guess what? Everyone got what they wanted.

So now the Patriots have to figure out how to get back to the big game and win it. They clearly did not expect to get as far as they did last year, or they would not have gone into the season with $50M in unspent cap space - the most of any team. Year two is when new regimes can really start to get rid of pieces they don’t need, as contracts expire, so it’s a huge offseason for New England. 

Our job today is to dive into the depth chart, the cap space, and the contracts to make some predictions on what they might do in terms of offensive weapons. If there is a fantasy football spin for your dynasty leagues, we’ll weigh in. Become a Fantasy Alarm Member today to access our full Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings along with our buy, hold, or sell recommendations!

*The salary cap numbers referenced in this article come courtesy of our friends over at Spotrac.com*

 

 

 

New England Patriots Depth Chart 2026 (Fantasy Football Relevant)

QB

Drake Maye

Joshua Dobbs

Tommy DeVito

  

RB

Rhamondre Stevenson

TreVeyon Henderson

Antonio Gibson

Terrell Jennings

Lan Larison

WR

Stefon Diggs

Demario Douglas

   

WR

Kayshone Boutte

Kyle Williams

   

WR

Mack Hollins

Efton Chism

   

TE

Hunter Henry

Austin Hooper

CJ Dippre

  

FB

Jack Westover

Brock Lampe

   


 

KEY

  • White = free agent
  • Green = role is safe
  • Yellow =  role in flux
  • Orange = likely a depth piece
  • Red = roster spot not guaranteed

New England Patriots Free Agency 2026

  • CURRENT PROJECTED 2026 SALARIES: $313M
  • CURRENT ESTIMATED 2026 CAP SPACE: $35M

Free Agent Types

Unrestricted free agent: Any player with four or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired. They are free to negotiate with any team.

Restricted free agent: A player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. The CBA allowed for NFL teams to tender these players to one-year qualifying offers to retain them. Another team can sign them, but would need to provide the tendering team with compensation. In layman’s terms, if a new team signs a player, the current team can match it, or they receive the corresponding pick from the new team. These are the projected RFA tender levels per OverTheCap.com:

  • 1st Round - $7,893,000
  • 2nd Round - $5,658,000
  • Right of First Refusal - $3,453,000

Exclusive rights free agent: Any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum, the player cannot negotiate with other teams. If the team wants the player back, these contracts are a no-brainer, as the player either needs to play on the contract or sit out. 

 

 

 

Patriots Quarterback Depth Chart

Drake Maye

After falling just short of the 2025 MVP vote, I think the Patriots are pretty confident in their guy. Last year, we encouraged folks to buy Maye in dynasty as well as draft him in redraft with a full article argument on whether Drake Maye Is A League Winner. And the concept was simple - the previous regime admitted they did not call designed runs for him, so we KNEW his upside could be higher.

Every quarterback over the last decade to run 85 times and play at least six games has finished top 10 in fantasy. You have to go back to 2014, Colin Kaepernick, to find a guy who didn’t. So Maye almost automatically offers a pretty good floor and, as we know now, the ceiling is special.

Joshua Dobbs

The Patriots were looking for a veteran backup who offered some wisdom and a little mobility if need be. They found Dobbs, who also happened to play for Vrabel’s Titans in 2022. It was smart of them to give him a two-year deal, so they won’t need to make major decisions until next year. 

Tommy DeVito

After the Giants released him, the Pats scooped up DeVito to be their third quarterback. His job was to run some scout team and, perhaps if there were a serious injury to Maye, provide a little upside. They signed him to a ~$1M deal last year, so I doubt they use the restricted free agent tender on him, as they can probably get him back for cheaper if they want him back.

  • Reserves/Futures: N/A

PATRIOTS QB FREE AGENCY TAKE: The Patriots don’t need to do anything drastic this offseason, as Dobbs is under contract and they don’t really need a developmental project behind Maye. Next year, we’ll take a serious look at the backup options if it looks like Dobbs might not be back.

  • POSSIBLE FREE AGENT OPTIONS: N/A

Patriots Running Back Depth Chart

Rhamondre Stevenson

A lot of folks thought that TreVeyon Henderson would take over this job at some point - whether it was right from the rip or down the stretch. Or they at least thought that the backfield would be split with Stevenson on early downs and Henderson on pass downs, much like the Patriots did under Josh McDaniels for years. But, surprisingly, Stevenson played more in all phases of the game despite fumbles early on.

We’ll get to the TreVeyon Henderson situation next. But everyone thought Stevenson would likely be a release candidate as soon as possible with the new regime selecting their own back. That was highly unlikely to be 2026, regardless, as there was no cap benefit at all. And, if Stevenson plays the way he played this year, they would probably keep him in 2027 as well, rather than taking the $6M savings. It’s 2028, when his cap is $11M with only $1M guaranteed, that he really needs to earn that spot. So Steveson is a guy we like having in fantasy football for now.

TreVeyon Henderson

The Patriots have a long history of splitting the backfield with legendary pass-catching backs like Kevin Faulk, Danny Woodhead, James White, and company. But, in order to have that role there is one key element that has to be present in their game: pass-blocking. 

If you take all backs that played at least 20 pass-block snaps per Pro Football Focus, Rhamondre Stevenson was RB9 and TreVeyon Henderson was RB69. If you sort it by 50 or more pass block snaps, Stevenson is RB1. For Henderson to play more, he needs to improve that part of his game. And, honestly, that makes him a buy for us in dynasty. He would not be the first back to overcome that obstacle as his career moved on. 

Antonio Gibson

What the Patriots do with Antonio Gibson will tell us a lot about how they feel about TreVeyon Henderson. To start the year, Gibson was operating ahead of him and was doing well in pass pro (he’s also a former WR himself, so he has always had pass chops). He suffered a serious injury and can be released with ~$3.1M in savings with only $1M in dead cap, so he’s not a guy they need to bring back if they are confident in the combo of Stevenson and Henderson. He also served as the primary kick returner before injury, which could move the needle.

Terrell Jennings

Before getting injured, Mike Vrabel once referred to Terrell Jennings as their “five-minute back”. The “two-minute back” handles two-minute drills, while the five-minute guy helps run block while you are winning. He’s under contract for only $1M, but it’s also not guaranteed, so he could be released. As you can see, the Pats ended up with a lot of guys under contract, and they simply can’t carry all of them.

Lan Larison

The Patriots were excited for the undrafted rookie, but he unfortunately suffered a season-ending broken foot in August. Given the nature of undrafted free agents, his contract and roster spot are both not guaranteed, but I would not be surprised to see him back either after the steam he was getting in camp.

Deneric Prince

The Patriots signed Deneric Prince in August, but then released him after only two days. 

Jack Westover

Westover was a tight end in college and started out with the Seattle Seahawks in this role. After his release, the Patriots signed him in 2024, where he was primarily a practice squad/special teams guy. But Josh McDaniels likes the fullback, and Westover was a good fit for that role, where he was a big contributor in 2025. They can easily keep him on an exclusive rights free agent deal, and I expect them to do so. 

Brock Lampe

The undrafted free agent was brought in to compete for the fullback role, but he suffered a season-ending injury in July so we never got to see him. Will be interesting to see if he gets a chance to compete with Westover for the fullback role in 2026. 

PATRIOTS RB FREE AGENCY TAKE: The Patriots are all set at the top with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. If they keep Antonio Gibson, the rest of the depth could be on the chopping block, or they could keep four guys. The most interesting discussion for free agency would be if they let Gibson walk, as they may look to bring in someone who can help with kick returns.

Paying up for someone like Kenneth Gainwell would be shocking to the TreVeyon Henderson fans, but that would be the top name in that category. I’d expect them to aim a little lower with some of the other options if they go there, like pure return man Kene Nwangwu.   

 

 

 

Patriots Wide Receiver Depth Chart

Stefon Diggs

This is a spicy topic here. The contract for Stefon Diggs was filled with incentives for him and outs for the Patriots from the start. And he hit three different reception incentives as well as the 1,000-yard bonus, which got him a couple of extra million dollars. But the contract still has a lot of outs and decisions.

Right now, he could be released with $18.5M in savings and $8M in dead cap. On March 13th, an additional $6M becomes guaranteed, which also guarantees he’s on the team. That actually does make him a cut candidate, which is why he needs to be listed as such here. With the money they have, the money they’d save, and the prestige the team has, attracting a free agent might not be as hard as it was in past years. Diggs is a hold in dynasty because we know he has something left in the tank, but he might be moving on from New England.

Kayshon Boutte

Kayshon Boutte is in an interesting spot here. He earned a full-time outside role though he wasn't super productive with it. If the team moves on from Stefon Diggs and/or Hunter Henry, he could move up the target pecking order. That could see him take a step forward and become a startable fantasy asset.

On the flip side, they could just as easily retain Diggs and/or Henry AND add another WR via free agency or the draft. He was already struggling to produce with those guys in town and any high level WR2 addition would almost certainly affect his target share. If there is a way to cash out on Boutte after the Pats just made a deep run, I might consider it. If all you are getting back is a late third though, I'd just hold to see how it shakes out.

Mack Hollins

One of the main indictments here on Kayshon Boutte is that Mack Hollins was able to be equally productive. Not that we don’t like Mack Hollins - he’s a great locker room presence and one of the media’s favorite guys. But he’s also a journeyman wide receiver who hasn’t had much success with some top QBs. I think New England is going to want to get more out of the outside WRs during this window. Mack Hollins could be a cap casualty with $4.4M in savings and less than $1M in dead cap, but he could also hang around as depth. 

Demario Douglas

Douglas essentially served as the second slot man when Diggs needed a breather or for four WR sets. If Diggs is gone and Douglas is elevated to a full-time role, I think that would be a step back for this offense. He has very little guaranteed money, so I could see him traded, released, or kept as depth. If you can trade him in dynasty fantasy football, I’d do it. 

Kyle Williams

There are two ways to look at Kyle Williams. The glass-half-empty view is that he had very little in front of him, preventing him from taking on a big role. So, while other rookies have gone on to do big things, he didn’t really do much outside of a handful of plays. But, guys aren’t already ready, and Williams could simply need more time to develop. Given his low perceived value and the fact that he still has a clear path if he can step up, Williams is a guy I hold in dynasty leagues. He’s on a rookie deal, and he did help with kick returns, so I expect him back.

Efton Chism

Undrafted free agents are never a lock. But they like this kid; he carved out a role on special teams and even contributed in some playoff games. So it’s not crazy for him to make the team again if he has a great camp again. Last year, he led all players in receiving yards in the preseason - not just for NE, for the league. 

PATRIOTS WR FREE AGENCY TAKE: The Stefon Diggs situation is going to be crucial to what happens next. If they release him, they need a new slot/flanker. If they keep Diggs, they could still use a big-bodied split end and/or a field stretcher. Basically, after you lose in the Super Bowl, partially because you didn’t have playmakers in the pass game, you don’t really rule out any options. Here are some of the different guys who would fit each role. 

 

 

 

Patriots Tight End Depth Chart

Hunter Henry

The Hunter Henry contract situation is an interesting one. Because he certainly could be released to save the $9.25M with only $2.5M in dead cap. But could this be a “grass is always greener” situation?

You have to ask yourself A. how many better tight ends are out there and B. how much better than Hunter Henry are they? Is it worth it to pivot from a 31-year-old Henry to an oft injured 31 Dallas Goedert, for instance? Hard to say. The plan could also be to release Henry and accept a downgrade at tight end for a big upgrade elsewhere. So he’s red 

Austin Hooper

Once upon a time, the Browns made Austin Hooper the highest-paid tight end in football. Which was probably a mistake, given that he was playing with an MVP-caliber QB on a team that threw 50 more times than any other team while the WRs were hurt. In fact, he wasn’t even the best TE on that team, as it turns out.

Now, Hooper has settled in as more of a blocking TE2 who can offer a little in the pass game. The Patriots will need but it doesn’t necessarily need to be Hooper. He’s an unrestricted free agent. 

CJ Dippre

CJ Dippre spent a lot of time on the practice squad but was called up briefly towards the end of the season. The reality is that Jack Westover is probably the TE3 if something happens, but they could bring Dippre back as a developmental project. He has zero guaranteed money, so he could also end up back on the practice squad or elsewhere.

PATRIOTS TE FREE AGENCY TAKE: This one could go either way. If they release Henry, they are in the market for a starting tight end. The only clear and obvious upgrade to me would be Kyle Pitts, and even then, you are sacrificing blocking for pass-catching. Dallas Goedert feels a bit lateral while guys like David Njoku and Cade Otton are at least younger. If they wanted more of an athletic “big slot” tight end, Chig Okonkwo could be on the table at a cheaper price than Henry, and he played under Vrabel in the past.

Since I just rattled off the list of names that could be considered an upgrade over Henry, here are the names that could be the blocking TE2 if they keep Henry.

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