New England Patriots
The process of rebuilding their linebacker depth chart behind starters Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss saw the New England Patriots invest a sixth-round draft choice in a prospect out of TCU: Namdi Obiazor was broad aboard with the 212th overall pick in the draft. Shortly after getting picked, Obiazor put his signature under a four-year rookie contract.
Let’s take a closer look at that deal to find out what it means for the Patriots’ salary cap and the 24-year-old himself.
Base value: $4,618,872
Maximum value: TBD
Guarantees: $238,872
Signing bonus: $238,872
2026 (age 24):...
Pats Pulpit
Even though Tommy DeVito spent the entirety of 2025 as the New England Patriots’ third-string quarterback, the team saw enough of him to bump him up the depth chart this offseason. He was extended on a two-year, $4.4 million deal, while the team’s previous QB2, Joshua Dobbs, was released.
This plus the fact that only one other quarterback currently is signed by the club — seventh-round rookie Behren Morton — means that DeVito is the odds-on favorite to back up Drake Maye in 2026. Let’s take a closer look at him and his projected role on the team.
Hard facts...
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The New England Patriots entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear hierarchy at quarterback. Nonetheless, they opted to add more depth to the pairing of starter Drake Maye and backup Tommy DeVito: they invested the 234th overall selection in the seventh round, bringing aboard Texas Tech’s Behren Morton.
The ninth QB picked in this year’s draft, Morton is heading toward his rookie campaign as the third option on the roster. What can be expected of him, though? Let’s find out.
Name: Behren Morton
Position: Quarterback
Jersey number: 15
Opening day age: 24 (1/17/2002)
Measurements: 6’2 1/8”,...
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The New England Patriots have continued their work through Phase 2 of the offseason program, while also taking a break to host Community Day, at Gillette Stadium this week.
That has been the primary focus here on Pats Pulpit the past few days. For anything that fell through the cracks, let’s clean out the notebook. Welcome to this week’s edition of our Sunday Patriots Notes.
Zak Kuhr started his coaching career on the offensive side of the football. He did not switch to defense until joining Mike Vrabel’s staff in Tennessee as a quality control coach in...
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The New England Patriots need to make a transformative upgrade at wide receiver.
Stefon Diggs was a pleasant surprise for fans in New England, being the team’s first receiver to hit the 1,000-yard mark since Julian Edelman in 2019 and aiding Drake Maye in his development as an MVP candidate in his sophomore season.
But the now third-year quarterback needs a weapon who can consistently beat man coverage and will themselves open in crucial situations. A player who can make magic happen and lead a unit when the offense is dead in the water.
Maye needs a Super Bowl champion...
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The New England Patriots overhauled their defensive operation under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel in 2025, and that process included making some major offseason investments. One of those was signing veteran linebacker Robert Spillane to a three-year deal to become a foundational player on that side of the ball.
And while it wasn’t perfect, Spillane very much proved himself as such in his first year in Foxborough. So, what to expect heading into his second season? Let’s find out.
Name: Robert Spillane
Position: Off-ball linebacker
Jersey number: 14
Opening day age: 30 (12/14/1995)
Measurements: 6’1 1/4”, 234...
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The New England Patriots offseason continues with OTAs beginning next week and the month of June less than two weeks away — where a certain wide receiver is then expected to be traded.
So, let’s get into this week’s #PostPulpit Mailbag.
Obviously, with rumors swirling around Boutte and Brown, as we get closer to the June 1st target date, what do you think a trade package looks like for AJ Brown at this point? And what does the hypothetical inclusion of Boutte do in terms of assets? – LandenPatz1
The most likely outcome at this stage appears to be a...
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The New England Patriots made some serious investments in their roster in the first offseason under head coach Mike Vrabel, including at wide receiver. Among the players added was veteran Mack Hollins, who joined on a two-year, $8.4 million free agency deal in March 2025.
Hollins came to Foxborough with a mixed bag of production, but his experience under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels seemingly paid dividends: he had a decent overall season, and should be able to compete for a role yet again this summer.
Name: Mack Hollins
Position: Wide receiver
Jersey number: 13
Opening day age:...
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No Patriots defender played more snaps than Craig Woodson during the 2025 season. That would have been a rare prediction before to the year for the fourth-round pick, but Woodson went on to lay a strong foundation during an impressive rookie campaign.
That season ended with the arrow pointed up — as well as Woodson’s confidence — as he recorded his first career interception in a Divisional Round win over the Texans and was one of the team’s lone bright spots during Super Bowl LX.
“It gave me a lot of confidence knowing that I can play at a high...
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Even though they had already invested a first-round pick in their offensive tackle position, the New England Patriots decided to double-dip at the offensive tackle position for the second straight NFL Draft. After picking Utah’s Caleb Lomu 28th overall, they added Texas A&M’s Dametrious Crownover with the 196th selection in the sixth round.
Unlike Lomu, Crownover has already signed his rookie contract. Let’s take a closer look at the four-year pact and its impact on New England’s salary cap from 2026 through 2029.
Base value: $4,656,432
Maximum value: TBD
Guarantees: $276,432
Signing bonus: $276,432...
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