The New England Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel are not far off from bringing the Lombardi Trophy back home for the first time since the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era.
Last season, they went from being one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2024 to losing in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. With the right offseason moves, the Patriots could take the next step and win it all in 2026.
With that being said, New England has already put together an aggressive start to the 2026 offseason.
Already, the Patriots have added a few big-time pieces. They have signed safety Kevin Byard III, wide receiver Romeo Doubs, fullback Reggie Gilliam, defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, and offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, among other moves.
It’s possible that the franchise isn’t done in free agency. They could choose to continue aggressive spending in pursuit of a Super Bowl.
Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, New England will have more opportunities to improve the roster.
New England Patriots Predicted to Land Intriguing Pass Rusher
NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry has made an interesting prediction for the Patriots in his latest mock draft. He has New England taking Missouri pass rusher Zion Young.
“You don’t have to watch Young for very long to see that there is violence to his game. Both against the run and the pass, the Michigan State transfer uses whatever force he can muster with his imposing 6-foot-6, 262-pound frame to dispose of blockers and hunt down ball-carriers,” Perry wrote.
“He has the length (33-inch arms) and power to be able to bull-rush opposing tackles on his way to quarterbacks. Against the run, he uses those same traits to bully tackles and tight ends relentlessly.”
Young is coming off of a 2025 college football season with Missouri that saw him record 42 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two defended passes. Throughout his four-year college career split between Michigan State and the Tigers, he totaled 130 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and five defended passes.
Zion Young Has Been Compared to a Former NFL Star
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein provided more information about Young in his pre-draft scouting report. He also named a former NFL star who Young compares to.
That star is none other than Za’Darius Smith, who amassed 70.5 sacks throughout his career.
While there are some concerns about his ability to get to the quarterback at the professional level, Young is expected to be a great run-stopping end. Vrabel and company could be intrigued by the chance to develop the youngsters game.
Standing in at 6-foot-6 and 262 pounds, Young has an impressive physical build. In Perry’s mock draft, he noted that the pass rusher plays with “violence.” That is exactly the kind of player that Vrabel wants on his defense and the fit could make a ton of sense late in the first round.
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