INDIANAPOLIS — Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf kicked off the NFL Scouting Combine with a press conference and side session with local reporters Tuesday morning.
Head coach Mike Vrabel will speak with reporters Wednesday afternoon.
Here’s everything we learned from Wolf about the Patriots’ upcoming offseason, which officially begins March 11 with the start of free agency.
How the team will approach free agency
The Patriots spent a team-record amount in free agency last offseason, handing out over $360 million in total value. The team now enters this offseason ranked 10th in total cap space, per OverTheCap.com, at $42,698,596.
So, don’t expect the Patriots to be as prolific in free agency in 2026.
“We’re going to explore every avenue to try to improve the team,” Wolf said. “We filled a lot of needs last year and we’re still building. We have areas that maybe we feel good about the starters, but maybe the depth is not where we want it to be. We have areas where we maybe need to add a starter.”
Thoughts on draft class
The Patriots are in a much different place entering the 2026 NFL Draft, holding the 31st overall pick after consecutive years picking in the top four. Wolf provided his thoughts on the 2026 NFL Draft class as a whole.
“I feel like every year for the last five years, everyone said, ‘Oh, it’s not a good draft, it’s not a good draft.’ I don’t really buy that,” Wolf said. “I feel like if you’re doing your job, you’re going to be able to find players in rounds one through seven that can help your team.”
Highlighting major need
The Patriots currently have Harold Landry III, Anfernee Jennings, Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson under contract at edge defender, while K’Lavon Chaisson is one of the team’s top free agents.
So, that’s one spot where the Patriots could potentially add a promising player in the draft.
“I think this draft offers a lot of different depth at varying areas, edge (defender) being one of them,” Wolf said. “I think it’s a fairly deep class at that position that’s obviously an area of need for our team, so it matches up nicely.”
Another need highlighted on offense
Wolf called a report that the Patriots would be interested in acquiring Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker and moving Will Campbell to right tackle “not true.” He did still call offensive tackle a need, however.
“Vederian (Lowe’s) a free agent. Thayer (Munford) is a free agent and Morgan is 35 years old, and you know, he played awesome this year, but he’s 35 years old,” Wolf said. “So, tackle would be a need for our team.”
Wilson’s future position
Jared Wilson, a 2025 third-round pick, played left guard for the Patriots in 2025, but his natural position is probably still at center, where Garrett Bradbury started last season.
The Patriots are flexible with Wilson’s future position.
“I think there’s openness to everything with him,” Wolf said. “He had never played guard before. He had good moments and bad moments, but he certainly has the physical ability to play there, and he also has the intelligence and the vocal ability to play center, so I think those are conversations we’re still having.”
Open to trading first-round pick
The Patriots made Super Bowl LX in their first year with Vrabel as head coach and could make another push for a championship if they can acquire the right player to push them over the edge. Two players who have been discussed in media circles are Raiders edge defender Maxx Crosby and Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Wolf said the team is willing to trade their first-round pick in the right situation.
“Yeah, we’re open to anything if we think it’s going to help the team both in the short and long term,” Wolf said. “Then, it’s something we’ll look at.”
Extending Gonzalez a priority
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, one of the Patriots’ top overall players, is now eligible for an extension after completing his third NFL season. Some of the Patriots cash could be spent on extending the Pro Bowl cornerback.
“Christian, obviously, was good before, and made an even more significant jump this year,” Wolf said. “And he’s someone that we want to work with in the future, obviously. And we’ll have those conversations at the appropriate time.”
Campbell’s injury impacted playoff performance
Wolf believes some of Campbell’s struggles in the 2025 postseason were due to a knee injury he suffered Week 12 and landed him on injured reserve for four weeks.
“When he came back from that injury, I personally didn’t see the same level of lower-body strength that you saw before the injury,” Wolf said. “I think the film would attest to that. He probably had three of his four worst games in the playoffs. But before that, I thought Will played really well all year.”
Vrabel said Campbell will stay at left tackle this season.
Noncommittal on Diggs
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is under contract for the Patriots in 2026, but Wolf wouldn’t concretely say that the veteran wide receiver, who’s due a $20.6 base salary, would be back on the roster. On March 13, $6 million of Diggs’ salary becomes fully guaranteed.
“I’m not going to get into any specific players today. There are certain conversations that we’re having, and we’ll see what happens with everyone,” Wolf said.
Diggs pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault charges after the Super Bowl. His next hearing is scheduled for April 1.
“We’re monitoring those situations,” Wolf said. “We’ll just kind of see what comes of it. I know he had a hearing last week or two weeks ago. We’re monitoring those situations not only with our legal and security department, but also with Stef’s people as well.”
Two veterans expected to return
Wolf did say he expects Landry and Moses to be back next season.
On Landry, who missed time with a knee injury late in the 2025 season: “He’s got to try and get healthy. And again, another culture guy that came in and really was able to deliver and act upon coach Vrabel’s messaging to the defense. So yeah, we would expect him back.”
On Moses: “I am under that impression, yes. I haven’t heard anything otherwise. He was so great for us, not only on the field, but off the field, kind of setting the tempo in that room. And, I definitely think he enjoyed it. And he played every game, so that was a testament to his durability and toughness.”
Open to acquiring No. 1 receiver
Wolf was asked how the team would benefit from acquiring a No. 1 receiver. He acknowledged that “having more playmakers is a good thing” but “when you run your offense and you have one of these No. 1 receivers, the quarterback can get in trouble by trying to force the ball to that person.”
Wolf was asked if that would preclude the team from acquiring a “diva” wide receiver.
“We’d prefer not to have a diva receiver. But look, the receiver position is interesting,” Wolf said. “You’ve got to want the ball. You definitely don’t want a receiver that doesn’t want the ball. So it’s all about how they manage that off the field.”
Update on in-house free agents
Chaisson, safety Jaylinn Hawkins and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga are among the Patriots’ top free agents this offseason.
“We have had conversations, we had good exit meetings with those guys and I think they understand where we’re at,” Wolf said.
On Hawkins specifically, Wolf said, “he’s certainly someone that we would welcome back.”