With the NFL Draft rapidly approaching, it looks like there are a few clear positions of need for the New England Patriots to address. The question is which one of those needs is going to be the most important.
Boston Herald writer Doug Kyed, who covers the Patriots as a beat writer, took a look at those needs recently, putting out a ranking of the team’s biggest needs in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Doug Kyed Ranked Edge Rusher as the Biggest Need for the New England Patriots
GettyNew England Patriots edge rusher Harold Landry III
There is room to debate the biggest need for the New England Patriots in the NFL Draft. For Kyed, it was a relatively simple, though. The Patriots need to address edge rusher this year.
The Patriots enter the week before the draft with a rebuilt room of outside linebackers. Gone are K’Lavon Chaisson and Anfernee Jennings. Dre’Mont Jones and Jesse Luketa have replaced them alongside Harold Landry, Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson,” Kyed wrote. “The Patriots could, technically, go into the season with Jones and Landry as starters and hope for second-year leaps out of Ponder and Swinson, but that feels incredibly risky.”
In 2025, the Patriots were tied for 26th in the NFL with sacks, only totaling 35 on the season. Individually, Harold Landry led the team in sacks with 8.5, but battled injuries. Second on the team in sacks was K’Lavon Chaisson, with 7.5 sacks, but he’s not with the team anymore.
This is also considered an NFL Draft that has a lot of talent at the edge rusher position. So, finding a way to draft an edge rusher early seems fairly reasonable.
“If, for some reason, the Patriots can’t land an edge defender on Day 1 or 2 of the draft, there are still some decent veteran options available on the open market like Haason Reddick, Joey Bosa and Denico Autry, but the Patriots prefer to draft and develop,” Kyed wrote.
Other Needs for the Patriots in the NFL Draft
GettyNBC has released their ranking for every NFL coach. There, they had an interesting ranking for Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots.
Edge rusher is a key need, but it’s far from the team’s only need. Kyed also has wide receiver ranked as the team’s second most important need. That’s with the A.J. Brown trade still only a rumor and not finalized.
“If the Patriots have concrete plans to trade for A.J. Brown after the draft, then this position moves down the list of needs,” Kyed wrote. “But if there isn’t that plan in place, then the Patriots do need to continue searching for a No. 1 receiving option, and the best pathway to do that is through the draft.”
Rounding out the top three needs for the Patriots is no surprise to anyone who watched New England’s run to the Super Bowl. Offensive tackle needs some support as the Patriots are looking to keep Drake Maye upright more often. In particular, Kyed noted that the team needs a developmental pick at right tackle to eventually replace the aging Morgan Moses.
The Patriots are currently slated to make their first pick at No. 31 in the first round. That’s one of 11 picks that New England has. So, there is plenty of opportunity to fill in some of these gaps once the NFL Draft kicks off.
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