The New England Patriots’ preparation for 2026 will kick into its highest gear yet on Thursday. The reigning AFC champions will play hosts to the Indianapolis Colts in what will be both teams’ preseason opener.
That game, as well as subsequent contests against the Eagles and Browns, will add another piece to the puzzle that is the construction of the 53-man roster. While a significant number of spots are filled already, some remain open for competition.
So, with the Colts game coming up, let’s look
at those competitions and update our rundown to see where they currently stand.
Patriots camp competition update: August 13
Quarterback: As expected, there have been no changes at the most important position. Drake Maye remains atop the depth chart, with Tommy DeVito strengthening his hold on the No. 2 spot. Behren Morton is firmly on the roster bubble, meanwhile, despite some positive moments throughout the summer.
Running back: Terrell Jennings’ return from the non-football injury list has turned the RB3 competition on its head. Based on Tuesday’s joint practice and the sessions before, he appears to have a decisive edge over Lan Larison and Jam Miller. That is especially true because he also is part of the first kickoff return unit. Whether newly-signed Hassan Haskins and JaMycal Hasty can factor into the mix will be seen, but both have experience and familiarity with Mike Vrabel.
Wide receiver: As has been the case throughout training camp so far, the top seven on the depth chart are very much set in stone: A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism. The question is how many of them will actually be on the 53-man team with Boutte a rumored trade candidate, Williams not looking particularly impressive so far, and Chism a possible victim of the numbers game? Behind them, Cameron Dorner continues to look like the best of the rest, even though pushing for a roster spot is a near-impossible task for the undrafted rookie.
Tight end: Even with C.J. Dippre recently returning to action, the pecking order at tight end remains unchanged. Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin are the top three at the moment. Arkin has been somewhat quiet lately, though, which might open the door for Dippre or Jack Westover — who had an active day Monday — to manufacture a preseason push.
Offensive tackle: Unless the preseason brings some major change, the Patriots’ offensive tackle spot seems set in stone. Will Campbell and Morgan Moses are locked into the starting roles, with Caleb Lomu and Marcus Bryant as their backups. The latter two have actually switched positions recently, with Lomu now the primary backup on the left and Bryant the next man up on the right side.
Interior offensive line: Caedan Wallace is no longer part of the picture, but his trade to Miami was not a major change anyway. Wallace, after all, had already lost his second-string position to Mehki Butler. Butler, meanwhile, also seems to be facing an uphill climb to make the team. Right now, Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich project as the top interior backups.
Interior defensive line: The depth spots behind starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore as well as No. 3 Cory Durden remain subject to competition. Joshua Farmer and Leonard Taylor look like the frontrunners, with Eric Gregory also in the mix. Between one and three of them should be expected on the 53-man team, but if the issues against the run continue that were on display during the Colts practice, New England might be looking to explore other options to help shore up the group.
Defensive edge: The edge remains probably the biggest question mark on the Patriots’ roster heading into preseason. Dre’Mont Jones and Gabe Jacas are obviously locks to make the team, but the depth behind them is uncertain. Elijah Ponder looks like a safe bet to make it at this point, with fellow sophomore Bradyn Swinson also having positive moments as a second-string pass rusher from time to time. Whether players like UDFA Xavier Holmes or free agency pickup Jesse Luketa can push for the 53-man team remains to be seen.
Linebacker: Chad Muma seems to have a stranglehold on the No. 3 spot at the position, with Khalil Jacobs heavily involved over the last week as well. Despite a level of inconsistency, the undrafted rookie seems to have overtaken veteran K.J. Britt on the defensive depth chart. Both are also part of the starting kick return team, as is sixth-round draft pick Namdi Obiazor. Special teams could very well end up a deciding factor.
Cornerback: With Christian Gonzalez surprisingly absent from Tuesday’s joint practice and both Carlton Davis and Charles Woods held out as well, the Patriots faced some problems against the Colts. Kindle Vildor and Kobee Minor started on the outside, but neither performed particularly well. Neither did rookies Karon Prunty and Channing Canada, who rotated into the lineup after them. Maybe Marcellas Dial Jr. could make a push? The third-year man projects as a core special teamer as well as a do-it-all cornerback.
Safety: Even though John Saunders Jr. registered the Patriots’ lone interception against the Colts on Tuesday, he finds himself behind Dell Pettus and Mike Brown in the battle for the depth spots at safety. Pettus is the frontrunner, but Brown has seen extensive action as the personal protector in the punt game (with Pettus as his backup). It will be interesting to see how Brenden Schooler’s return off the non-football injury list will impact the group, whenever it comes.
Special teams: Andy Borregales and Bryce Baringer have no competition on the roster, meaning they will make the team barring incident or accident. Julian Ashby should too, but the second-year long snapper is nursing an ankle injury that recently prompted the team to re-sign veteran Niko Lalos. Realistically, though, the job is Ashby’s to lose. In the return game, Marcus Jones remains the top punt return option. On kickoffs, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism, Terrell Jennings and Lan Larison — in that order — saw action on Tuesday.
The Patriots’ preseason opener against the Colts on Thursday night will be kicked off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.
