The Patriots are fresh off a Super Bowl berth, and their roster is already set up for more success in 2026.
Among players who finished the 2025 season on the Patriots’ 53-man roster, just 10 are set to hit free agency, and only six will be unrestricted free agents.
Let’s go player by player.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
What a deal. Chaisson, who quickly emerged as a starting outside linebacker in the Patriots’ defense, signed a one-year deal that ultimately cost just $3.97 million. He’ll likely be more expensive to sign this offseason, but he’s shown interest in a return, and if the price is right, it makes all the sense in the world to bring him back, even if he takes on a lesser role as a situational pass rusher in 2026.
S Jaylinn Hawkins
Hawkins experienced a breakout season under head coach Mike Vrabel and paired nicely with rookie safety Craig Woodson, a fellow Cal product. Hawkins signed a one-year, $1.8 million deal last offseason. He’ll also cost more but said after Super Bowl LX that he really wants to return to the Patriots. Perhaps he’d take a hometown discount. He does deserve a sizable raise, however.
TE Austin Hooper
Hooper is as solid as they come in terms of backup tight ends. He signed a one-year, $5 million contract last offseason, and it could make sense to bring him back if the price is right. The Patriots should be looking to add more youth at tight end, however, since Hooper and Hunter Henry are both over 30 years old.
OT Vederian Lowe
Lowe held down the fort admirably in Will Campbell’s absence when the rookie left tackle hit injured reserve late in the season with a knee injury. Assuming he plays as well next season, there’s a lot of value in having Lowe as a backup left tackle. Offensive linemen don’t come cheap, however, and some team might have seen how Lowe performed last season and be willing to pay him as a high-end swing tackle.
OT Thayer Munford
It was pretty surprising to see Munford receive just one snap in Super Bowl LX since he was such a major part of the offensive game plan as a jumbo tight end from Week 15 on. He’s a solid option as a backup left and right tackle, and he should come cheaper than Lowe.
DT Khyiris Tonga
Another major bargain last offseason, Tonga signed a one-year, $2 million deal and contributed as a nose tackle and short-yardage fullback. The Patriots showed an incredible ability to find and develop defensive tackles this season, so if Tonga garners significant interest in the open market, it might make more sense to draft a player or find another cheap option in free agency.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
CB Alex Austin
The Patriots can submit a tender to restricted free agents that includes a one-year contract. Other teams then have the option to sign that RFA to an offer sheet, in which the Patriots would have the opportunity to match. If the Patriots don’t match, then the other team could owe them a draft pick. There are first-, second- and original-round (right of first refusal) tenders.
OverTheCap.com projects those out at $8,107,000 for first round, $5,811,000 for second round and $3,547,000 for right of first refusal. Austin began the 2025 season as the Patriots’ top backup cornerback and started in place of Christian Gonzalez before losing that role to Charles Woods. It seems unlikely that the Patriots would want to pay him over $3 million, so they could decline to give him a tender and instead try to sign him to a deal closer to the veteran minimum.
QB Tommy DeVito
DeVito was undrafted coming into the NFL. It seems unlikely that he will receive a tender either, unless the Patriots liked him enough to make him their top backup behind Drake Maye. Joshua Dobbs is due $3.7 million in cash next season.
OT Yasir Durant
Durant got injured during training camp, so don’t expect him to receive a tender.
LB Jack Gibbens
Gibbens signed a one-year, $1.7 million deal last offseason and took on an important role while Robert Spillane was injured. Among RFAs, Gibbens has the best chance to be tendered at the right of first refusal level. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
DT Jaquelin Roy
Roy didn’t play this season after suffering an injury during training camp.
EXCLUSIVE-RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
DT Isaiah Iton
If a team offers a one-year tender at the league minimum salary, then the player cannot negotiate with other teams. Iton showed promise this summer before a hip injury placed him on injured reserve.
RB Deneric Prince
Prince spent a brief part of training camp with the Patriots before going on injured reserve.
FB Jack Westover
Westover showed improvement during the course of the season after transitioning to fullback. It would make sense to bring him back on an ERFA tender for his versatility at tight end, fullback and on special teams.
STREET FREE AGENTS
RB D’Ernest Johnson
Johnson finished out the season as the Patriots’ No. 3 running back but has not re-signed a future deal.
LB Darius Harris
Harris played well on special teams as a practice squad elevation before hitting injured reserve.
RB Craig Reynolds
Reynolds suffered an injury shortly after signing to the Patriots’ practice squad. It’s possible that he could have received a look over Johnson if he had stayed healthy.
TE Thomas Odukoya
Odukoya, a native of the Netherlands, could be brought back under the NFL’s international player pathway program.