The New England Patriots’ 2026 free agency class was defined by departure. Of the 14 players set to enter the open market, only two — QB Tommy DeVito and FB Jack Westover — have so far been retained by the team.
Among those to leave is linebacker Jack Gibbens, who was not tendered as a restricted free agent and subsequently signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
For Gibbens, the decision to depart New England after one season was not an easy one.
It will definitely be tough
to leave there. It’s bittersweet,“ he told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Sunday, as transcribed by ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
“I love that team. I love Coach [Mike] Vrabel and his staff. We had an unforgettable year, for sure. It’s definitely a little sad leaving those guys but just felt like I had a great opportunity with an organization that is kind of trying to get things going in the right direction, similar to [where] New England was last year. So, I’m excited to get out there and be part of the turnaround and getting back to where we just took the Patriots.”
Originally entering the NFL as a rookie free agent in 2022, Gibbens spent his first three seasons with the Titans before reuniting with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel, in New England last offseason. In his lone year with the franchise, he was actively involved on both defense and special teams.
Gibbens ended the year with 604 defensive snaps (11th) and 357 special teams snaps (3rd), and started 10 of the Patriots’ 21 regular season and playoff contests. Despite his success as the third linebacker and as a core member in the kicking game, however, the 27-year-old was not retained in free agency.
Tendering him would have cost New England a minimum of $3.55 million, a price tag seemingly deemed too big for his projected role. And so, he ended up looking elsewhere for a new home.
Gibbens found it in Arizona, where he hopes to be part of a similar turnaround to the Patriots’ in 2025. For him, it all starts with the foundation.
“The first thing is getting to know everybody and forming those personal relationships,” Gibbens explained. “I think that was a big factor in the Patriots’ success last year. That was the most connected team I’ve been on – definitely in the NFL but honestly back through college and maybe ever.”
