Patriots Safety Hopes To Become Mentor For Young Teammates

When the New England Patriots signed longtime safety Kevin Byard to a one-year contract in free agency, it can allow for more than just turnovers on defense. Although the veteran led the league in interceptions with seven last season, his knowledge and experience can pay dividends for one of the Patriots' youngest stars in the making.

Craig Woodson, expected to be a starter alongside Byard in 2026, put together a productive rookie season last year. Whether it was in coverage or in run support, Woodson quickly made Patriots fans forget about Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers — two players who jumped in the depth chart last summer.

Now with a three-time All-Pro by his side, Woodson can only grow in his role with New England.

"I’ve really seen him improve throughout the year, and I mean, he played his behind off in the Super Bowl," Byard said about his new teammate when speaking to reporters at Gillette Stadium last week. "I’m excited to be able to play with him and, try to give him as much as I can as far as knowledge of the game.

"Do what I can to try to help this team to be the best and hopefully I’m that final piece to make this a top secondary in the league," he continued.

Byard — a longtime player under Mike Vrabel dating back to the head coach's time in Tennessee — has already begun to build a bond with Woodson. He orchestrated a deal to acquire his No. 31 uniform, something he's always worn at the NFL level. Woodson will be switching to No. 4 for 2026.

Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots safety Craig Woodson (31) celebrates a Patriots recovering a fumble by Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (not pictured) during the first half of the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Byard Was One Of New England's Best FA Signings

But when it comes to their relationship on the field, Byard plans to help in any way possible.

"I don’t just purposely try to say, 'Hey, I’m gonna be your leader,' nothing like that. It’s just more like it’s a natural thing, you know," Byard said. "I mean, if (Woodson) has questions, I’m gonna (answer) questions. I’m a leader for him."

Woodson was one of the top defensive rookies last season, and earned a hefty payday as a result. He'll look a bit different with a new uniform number and a new running mate in the secondary (last year's starter Jaylinn Hawkins inked a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens), but the work to make the transition as smooth as possible is already starting.

"We’re gonna watch film together," Byard said. "Like I’m a big guy in trying to get the team together, the group together to watch film and stuff like that. So we’ll get into all that once we start playing ball."

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