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The New England Patriots won multiple playoff games on the back of their defense last season. If not for former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III's MVP performance, the defense might have won the Patriots a Super Bowl.
The goal was simple heading into the offseason: find more help at edge rusher, boost the linebacker depth and add a promising young cornerback.
Depending on how you feel about the Gabe Jacas, Namdi Obiazor and Karon Prunty picks, you might have walked away from the 2026 NFL Draft feeling like the Patriots accomplished their goals. An argument could even be made that the unit looks better on paper than it did last season.
Here is an early prediction of the defensive starters for the Patriots ahead of the 2026 season:
Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are a terrifying combo when both are on their game. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more talented defensive tackle duo. With that said, the team asks a lot of them without a true No. 1 edge rusher on the roster. Perhaps that might finally change with the arrival of rookie second-round draft pick Gabe Jacas.
Robert Spillane is a reliable centerpiece for the defense, and Christian Elliss continued to take his game to another level under Mike Vrabel. Elliss is a hard-hitting defender with a relentless motor that coaches love to see. Just ask New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Things could get interesting in the training camp battle at edge rusher. The Patriots signed Dre'Mont Jones in free agency with the hope that he could replicate some of the production K'Lavon Chaisson had on defense last season. However, the ultimate goal shouldn't be finding an edge rusher who can generate 7.5 sacks. The Patriots spent a second-round pick on Gabe Jacas with the hope that he can develop into the top edge rusher on the team.
As for Harold Landry, he should remain in the starting mix as long as he stays healthy.
The Patriots ended last season with one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL, and that isn't changing heading into 2026. Christian Gonzalez is already one of the top cornerbacks in the league, and Marcus Jones is an All-Pro-caliber talent. Meanwhile, Carlton Davis III is a reliable No. 2 option with a Super Bowl win on his resume.
The Patriots upgraded with the Kevin Byard signing. That's no slight against Jaylinn Hawkins, who was great for the team last season. However, Byard is a three-time All-Pro safety who led the NFL in interceptions last season. His arrival on the backend of the defense will make New England's secondary even scarier in 2026.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Predicting every Patriots starter on defense ahead of the 2026 season
Continue reading...
The goal was simple heading into the offseason: find more help at edge rusher, boost the linebacker depth and add a promising young cornerback.
Depending on how you feel about the Gabe Jacas, Namdi Obiazor and Karon Prunty picks, you might have walked away from the 2026 NFL Draft feeling like the Patriots accomplished their goals. An argument could even be made that the unit looks better on paper than it did last season.
Here is an early prediction of the defensive starters for the Patriots ahead of the 2026 season:
Defensive tackle
- Milton Williams
- Christian Barmore
Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are a terrifying combo when both are on their game. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more talented defensive tackle duo. With that said, the team asks a lot of them without a true No. 1 edge rusher on the roster. Perhaps that might finally change with the arrival of rookie second-round draft pick Gabe Jacas.
Linebacker
- Robert Spillane
- Christian Elliss
Robert Spillane is a reliable centerpiece for the defense, and Christian Elliss continued to take his game to another level under Mike Vrabel. Elliss is a hard-hitting defender with a relentless motor that coaches love to see. Just ask New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Edge rusher
- Harold Landry III
- Gabe Jacas
Things could get interesting in the training camp battle at edge rusher. The Patriots signed Dre'Mont Jones in free agency with the hope that he could replicate some of the production K'Lavon Chaisson had on defense last season. However, the ultimate goal shouldn't be finding an edge rusher who can generate 7.5 sacks. The Patriots spent a second-round pick on Gabe Jacas with the hope that he can develop into the top edge rusher on the team.
As for Harold Landry, he should remain in the starting mix as long as he stays healthy.
Cornerback
- Christian Gonzalez
- Carlton Davis III
- Marcus Jones
The Patriots ended last season with one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL, and that isn't changing heading into 2026. Christian Gonzalez is already one of the top cornerbacks in the league, and Marcus Jones is an All-Pro-caliber talent. Meanwhile, Carlton Davis III is a reliable No. 2 option with a Super Bowl win on his resume.
Safety
- Kevin Byard
- Craig Woodson
The Patriots upgraded with the Kevin Byard signing. That's no slight against Jaylinn Hawkins, who was great for the team last season. However, Byard is a three-time All-Pro safety who led the NFL in interceptions last season. His arrival on the backend of the defense will make New England's secondary even scarier in 2026.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Predicting every Patriots starter on defense ahead of the 2026 season
Continue reading...
