Patriots Face a Harder 2026 Path After Surprising 2025 Run
Breer argues New England's 2025 season was a breakthrough under Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel, but 2026 will bring tougher decisions: big-ticket contracts (notably Christian Gonzalez), managing rookie deals, and adding an edge rusher or playmaker. It sketches a wide NFL quarterback landscape—from Texans' Stroud extension talks and the Mac Jones–San Francisco dynamic to Crosby's Raiders future—plus coaching moves and franchise-tag decisions that could reshape rosters. The Patriots still have Maye and Vrabel, but the road to sustained success grows more complex.