Patriots links 7/14/26: Secondary a prime unit

TEAM TALK

• Mike Dussault’s Patriots Position Snapshot: Interior defensive line.
• Training Camp Preview: Defensive line. Mike Dussault, Evan Lazar and Paul Perillo break it down. (6 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mark Morse’s Patriots positional analysis: Secondary. A deep dive into the NFL’s best unit, featuring All-Pros, rising stars, and roster battles.
• Khari Thompson’s 2026 position review: Linebackers. The Patriots’ linebackers were elite under Mike Vrabel last year. Will they stay healthy enough to do it again?
• Nick Goss considers whether Drake Maye was ranked too low on ESPN’s list of top 10 NFL QBs.
• Hector Longo raises some questions about the ranking of Lamar Jackson over Drake Maye. NFL brass thinks so, but players make different statement.
• Jerry Thornton points out how Football Media doubled down on its grotesque underrating of Drake Maye.
• Patriots On SI ranks the top 25 Patriots of 2026. No. 12 Craig Woodson‘s ceiling keeps rising.
• Hector Longo writes how looking back, two picks wash away all the NFL Draft hurt for Bill Belichick and Patriots fans.
• Ethan Hurwitz looks at the 25 best Patriots draft steals of the last 25 years: Consistent Hall of Fame talent.
• Alex Barth reports Gillette Stadium is getting its turf field reinstalled after having a natural grass surface for the FIFA World Cup.
• Bill Heyen tells us the Patriots’ top-rated player in Madden 27 is given a 98 overall.
• Patriots Press Pass podcast: Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick discuss Drake Maye being ranked 8th best QB in the NFL; Member call-ins, More. (30 min.)
• Greg Bedard’s Patriots podcast: 53-man roster projection on defense, who’s on the bubble? (8 min.)
• All-32 NFL podcast: Mike Giardi and Andy Hart on how A.J. Brown MUST put up better numbers than Stefon Diggs. (16 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) Super Bowl hangover? Assessing whether Seahawks, Patriots will regress or regroup for another run in 2026.
• Josh Edwards (CBS Sports) Biggest remaining offseason priorities for each AFC team. Patriots linebackers, Dolphins receivers included.
• Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) Execs, coaches, scouts rank top NFL off-ball linebackers for 2026. No Pats.
• Ben Solak (ESPN) 2026 NFL season: New coach-player scheme pairings to watch. No Pats. /?!
• Dan Parr (NFL.com) Fantasy football QB rankings for 2026 NFL season: Draft tiers and analysis. Drake Maye: Tier 1, No. 3. “… I’m not going to predict a face-plant for Drake Maye in Year 3, not after New England strengthened his weaponry with the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.“
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Offseason power rankings: No. 17 Bengals better maximize Joe Burrow’s prime, and fast.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) News Roundup: Colts QB Daniel Jones (Achilles) says he’s ‘cleared to do everything’; More.
• Zachary Pereles (CBS Sports) Baker Mayfield details injury-riddled 2025: Buccaneers QB had knee, bicep, AC joint ailments. */Patriots defense did a number on him in Week 10 last year (14 min....