Biggest Winners, Losers Following Patriots' 2026 NFL Draft

The New England Patriots brought in a new crop of rookies, some of which could positively or negatively impact their standing on the roster.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots safety Dell Pettus (24) before Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Seven rounds of the NFL Draft have come and gone, and the New England Patriots are one step closer from finding out their 2026 roster in full. The team spent nine draft picks on rookies on both sides of the ball, and reportedly inked deals with 11 undrafted free agents.

Now that one of the league's most exciting weekends is wrapping up, it begs the question ... who won and lost the draft from a New England perspective?

Whether it was a player that might have been unexpectedly passed on the depth chart, a position that got overlooked or a lesser-known player that now has the chance for a bigger role, there are several subsets of the Patriots who are now positioned differently than they were a week ago.

Winner: Mike Brown & Dell Pettus

The Patriots could have easily drafted a safety. Craig Woodson and Kevin Byard, two more-than-capable starters, are slotted to be in the lineup from day one. But right behind them as a bit of a mystery.

Two of those players behind them -- Brown and Pettus -- got a vote of confidence with New England deciding not to draft a rookie. Both of those young players are projected to get most of their snaps on special teams, but could now be in line for a larger defensive role after how the draft shook out.

Loser: Backup Offensive Tackles

Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Marcus Bryant (52) walks to the practice fields at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu was the Patriots' first round pick, and they traded up to grab him. That should bode well for New England's offensive line, both this year and the seasons beyond. Who it won't bode well for is the backups that might be in a tigher positional battle than originally expected.

James Hudson, Caedan Wallace, Marcus Bryant, Sebastian Gutierrez and Lorenz Metz are the other tackles fighting for a spot on the roster this fall. With the team adding Lomu and Texas A&M's Dametrious Crownover, that job could be harder to come by.

Winner: AJ Brown's Trade Chances

Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) makes a reception defended by Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) during the second quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

As previously mentioned, the Patriots didn't end up drafting a safety. They also didn't grab a wide receiver, a decision that executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said wasn't intentional. It certainly is a lot more interesting when you throw in the fact that AJ Brown may potentially loom on the trade market.

Sure, New England signed four undrafted free agents at the position and released John Jiles from the roster. Those are bottom of the roster moves and ultimately won't make or break what is appearing to be a "likely" deal on the table for the Philadelphia Eagles star wideout.

Loser: Kobee Minor

The secondary, especially the cornerback spot, doesn't have the deepest reserves right now. At cornerback, if you're not Christian Gonazlez, Carlton Davis or Marcus Jones, you'll be lost in the shuffle at the position. In the fifth round, the Patriots turned in the card for Wake Forest defensive back Karon Prunty -- signaling that some of the bubble corners aren't promised a spot.

One of those bubble players is Minor, last year's Mr. Irrelevant. He didn't end up winning the job out of camp last season and is now in a tricky situation to do it in 2026. Other defensive backs, including Charles Woods, Brandon Crossley and newly-signed UDFA Channing Canada, are in the same boat.

Winner: Bryce Baringer

Baringer is entering a contract season and plenty has been written about if the team would possibly draft his replacement in the later rounds. They didn't, and Baringer remains the only punter on the active roster.

A total win for the veteran, Baringer will likely win the job for the fourth-straight season and look to rebound from what was a shakier 2025. The team isn't shutting the door completely, though. They brought in Indiana's Mitch McCarthy as a rookie minicamp invite.

Loser: Terrell Jennings

Oct 26, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings (26) is tackled by Cleveland Browns cornerback Dom Jones (37) during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Patriots didn't draft a punter to be Baringer's replacement. The same can't be said for the running back position, as the team pulled the trigger on Alabama's Jam Miller in the seventh round. A compact runner with great breakaway speed, he could possibly be a steal for New England.

That's not the best news for Terrell Jennings, who's set to enter his third season with the organization. He was slotted in as the third running back entering the home stretch of the offseason, but could find himself on the outside looking in heading into camp.

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