Are the Patriots – even without AJ Brown – better than last year’s Super Bowl team?
Yahoo Sports NFL analyst Nate Tice and fantasy analyst Matt Harmon talk about New England‘s strikes in the 2026 NFL Draft and the way the workforce is in search of the upcoming season. Check out the full dialog on “Football 301” – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Video Transcript
My, I similar to the strikes they did.
Even exterior the AJ
Brown stuff.
Like, I like the corners that they’ve.
Like Kevin Byard they added.
Craig Woodson was rookie for them last yr as a fourth rounder.
So now they received a reasonably good DB room.
I do not know.
I, I feel even the O-line, now we received solutions.
It’s received versatility with the Lomu decide.
I do not know.
This roster’s fairly good, and I feel I may be the just one saying, prefer it’s ac- it is a lot better than the roster that went to the Super Bowl last yr.
And I, once more, I do know they performed this weak roster or weak schedule and all that stuff, however all these strikes, after which they’re gonna, they’re gonna get the huge transfer with AJ
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Brown.
They kinda did it proper this off-season.
They addressed all the things I needed them to deal with.
They had the assets to do it, however I assumed they kinda nailed these minor strikes, after which what’s gonna be the huge transfer, the capper, the AJ
Brown commerce.
So actually, actually preferred it.
And then on high of it, Eli Rairden, who once more, was my tight finish 2A, they usually received him in the third spherical, and I’m fairly geeked up about that.
They received three cool tight ends.
H-Henry, Hill, and Rairden.
Fun little ability units merging there.
So yeah, I do not know.
I’m simply, Patriots hold doing issues I like, and I do know they are going, getting gamers I like, but in addition I simply assume this was sensible.
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They did not overextend themselves in any means, form, or kind.
So I, I actually like this off-season for them.
Yeah, they did not overextend themselves, however I feel they gave themselves much more flexibility on offense from a personnel bundle standpoint.
even as soon as they get AJ
Brown in there, it’s sort of humorous that now it is like the Eagles need a first-spherical decide for AJ
Brown.
Okay, however now they won’t get like a, a- a decide till 2028.
Yeah, ‘trigger that’s- Yeah ‘trigger like the, I feel the complete, assume AJ
Brown was solely ever going to 1 place, and it might, and he might solely be traded like in June.
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You know, so- Yes kinda one time I truly do not actually- at one time to 1 workforce.
Kinda did not have a whole lot of presents, you already know?
So like what they’re, what are they actually g- which I feel truly makes me like the transfer for New England even extra, ‘trigger I, I nonetheless assume the Brown commerce is, is dangerous in a whole lot of methods.
But I additionally assume they’ve allowed them- like they’ve insulated themselves away from that, danger as a result of Romeo Doubs, is an effective stable vet.
Kyle Williams in yr two I’m enthusiastic about.
Maybe they trade- Mm-hmm Keyshawn Booty, like that was rumored, but when they do not, they’ve depth at, you already know, the X receiver place.
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Like they’ve three guys proper now of various levels.
I imply te- when you wanna group Williams into this, yeah, I do not love that, that he was like an
Like that is actually enjoyable.
Yeah.
And yeah, I simply actually like the Caleb Lomu decide ‘trigger I feel sooner or later we’ll f- we’ll hear that, you already know, he is most likely the beginning left deal with after which they bump all people ar- round a bit of bit, however that additionally offers them, once more, extra flexibility.
So it felt like a, it felt like a roster all last yr that was r- actually strolling like a good, a excessive wire act.
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Yes.
And they, in equity, walked all of it the option to the Super Bowl earlier than getting rocked in the Super Bowl.
But I, this yr I do not assume they, they should be fairly, like all the things has to go so, so, so, so effectively for, them to interrupt, like get all these proper breaks and no matter, the schedule, the complete deal.
Like I feel they’re extra, they’re extra insulated now to outlive an actual deal contender kind of season based mostly on a few of the issues that they did right here.
