This past weekend from April 25-27, The NFL held their 90th annual Draft Weekend. Teams would choose their newest players and lives would be changed forever. Dreams would become reality, hard work would be rewarded, and a new day would begin for all 32 franchises.

The New England Patriots held the fourth overall pick and were looking to build off of their incredible free agency period and continue to trend upward. They started off their draft weekend by selecting offensive tackle, Will Campbell from LSU.

In 2022, Will Campbell enrolled at Louisiana State University to play football in one of the most prestigious and competitive conferences in the country, the SEC (Southeastern Conference) As a Monroe Louisiana native, Campbell didn’t only fit in immediately, but he played and carried himself with purpose as his college football career progressed. For three seasons, Campbell would solidify himself as one of, if not, the best offensive tackle in the country. In his 3 years at LSU, Campbell played in and started in 38 games, only missing one game during his freshman year due to illness. In 38 games, Campbell played 2,553 snaps, allowing only five sacks, rightfully earning him two selections to the All-SEC First Team.

Come eligibility, it was unquestionable that Campbell would be a top prospect of his draft class. The one thing looming over Campbell was the topic of his arm length and wingspan. Many people believed that with a short arm length it would make it difficult for Campbell to defend his Quarterback against top tier defenders. Despite the topic gaining ground, Campbell‘s resume spoke for itself. On April 25th, everything Will Campbell worked his whole life for amounted to the greatest honor of his life up to that point. The New England Patriots-in need of a left tackle, selected Will Campbell 4th overall, drafting him to not only be an immediate factor for the offense, but to protect young phenom Quarterback, Drake Maye. Immediately following his draft selection, and realizing his dreams were becoming a reality, the real work was yet to begin. During his draft interview, Campbell was understandably emotional and when asked about what it means to be a Patriot, and when asked about playing with and protecting Quarterback Drake Maye and what can we expect from Campbell to bring to the offensive line, Will Campbell responded proudly and admittedly with, “I’m going to fight and die to protect them with everything I got.” If fans weren’t sold on Campbell then, they more than certainly are now. Just from his answer, all of New England was ready to run through a brick wall and march proudly into battle. Drake Maye essentially has a mobile barricade protecting his blindside. At 6’6 & 319 pounds, Will Campbell is undoubtedly going to be an immediate force on the field and his presence will be felt by the league immediately! New England unquestionably made the right decision drafting Campbell and have bolstered up their offensive line in a matter of one simple draft call. This draft selection reminds many fans of legendary offensive lineman John Hannah. Drafted 4th overall in 1973 by the New England Patriots, the similarities between Hannah & Campbell are already apparent. Hannah played for New England from 1973-1985. John Hannah’s longevity, ability to play at a high level, and his remarkable loyalty to New England rightfully earned his jersey number #73 to be retired by the organization never to be worn again by anyone. With a bit of luck and determination, can Will Campbell have his number #66 immortalized next to John Hannah? Only time will tell and it is definitely treading that path. Will Campbell is a warrior, leader, great player, teammate, and friend. New England got themselves a gem & a cornerstone of their new era.

Following the upside of drafting Will Campbell, New England wasted no time in adding a weapon for their offense. With the 38th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, New England selected Runningback Treveyon Henderson from “THE” Ohio State University.

Originally starting his collegiate career with the Ole’ Miss Rebels, Henderson was already building a reputation as a great player and during his two years at Ole’ Miss, Henderson tallied a stat sheet of 685 career rushing yards, 27 receptions, 312 receiving yards, and 43 rushing touchdowns. In 2023, Henderson transferred to Ohio State where he would finish his college football career.  In 2 seasons, Henderson played in 26 games, recording  1,942 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns. The 2024 season would be one to remember, not just for Henderson, but for Ohio State and their fans. The college would earn and capture their ninth national football championship, defeating the Norte Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 on January 20th, 2025. Henderson would record 12 carries for 49 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. The workload was much lighter for Henderson because he was playing behind fellow Runningback, Quinshon Judkins, who had himself a star-studded performance with 11 Carries for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Henderson capped off his college career as a national champion, the highest award a team could receive.

On April 26th, with the 38th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Treveyon Henderson to be their newest offensive addition. From the outside perspective, many can tell how excited the coaching staff is to have a player like Henderson on their team. Henderson is a Jack of all trades, he can run, catch, and block, not many players of his position can do all three at a high level, even one of the three skills mentioned can be difficult to excel in. Ironically, one of the only rookie Runningbacks who has similar expectations is Quinshon Judkins, who heard his name called two picks before Henderson, going 36th overall to the Cleveland Browns. Many experts are shocked both OSU ‘backs fell into the second round. Many people had Henderson and Judkins in their top three when ranking the Runningback prospects who were in the draft class, you could make a case for which you believed were the better of the two. To be in consideration as a top three to top five RB prospect behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty, it is safe to say New England found their next explosive weapon on the offensive side of the ball and it is without question that Treveyon Henderson will see the field earlier than most, and will cause many headaches for opposing defenses, coaches, and teams. Whether it’s Will Campbell making space and separation, or Drake Maye passing the ball to Henderson, creating unbreakable trust and chemistry, there is no ceiling or limit for what Treveyon Henderson can accomplish with The Patriots

As the draft continued and dreams became reality, the Patriots continued to improve. Adding talented offensive linemen like Jared Wilson from the University of Georgia, and Marcus Bryant to pair up nicely with fellow Rookie, Will Campbell. Adding a speedy receiver who can easily create separation from Washington State, Kyle Williams, and bolstering their defense with talent like, defensive back, Craig Woodson from the University of California, defensive tackle Joshua Farmer from Florida State University, EDGE rusher from LSU, Bradyn Swinson, who coincidently enough is a college teammate of Will Campbell. Adding Kicker, Andreas Borregales from the University of Miami, and longsnapper, Julian Ashby from Vanderbilt, and finally, selecting 256th overall, the final pick of the draft, better known as “MR IRRELEVANT” New England selected defensive back, Kobe Minor from Memphis. Despite the draft being concluded, players are still being signed to teams, and New England  are currently bringing in many players who did not hear their name called on during the draft weekend, giving players an opportunity to make an impression and earn a spot on the roster consisting of 53 players come September.

Head coach Mike Vrabel, General Manager Elliot Wolf, Vice President of player personnel Ryan Cowden, and every person involved in this process starting all the way back in January all did their part in making this franchise better, adding a sense of pride as to what it means to be a New England Patriot. Bringing back the idea of domination, preparation, leadership, and winning. New England went from a team who has won a combined 8 games in two years to potentially winning 10  or more games one season later, and can seriously contend to win their division- The AFC EAST, and make a return to the NFL Playoffs after a 4 year absence. Owner Robert Kraft tasked Mike Vrabel with one goal, “win” Vrabel has set the tone and standard for his players, not just this year, but going forward into the future. It all starts when a group of players become one unit and when put together to accomplish something they want to achieve, the only force that can stop them is themselves. The way of winning has returned, it’s a new era in New England, and the future is bright.

Following an already electrifying free agency period, the Patriots front office made one more big signing, a move many did not see coming. The Patriots signed wide receiver, Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal worth sixty-nine-million-dollar contract. The reason why this deal was a shock to most fans around the league was because of two factors, Stefon Diggs had previously played for New England’s rival, the Buffalo Bills. Twice a season, Diggs would put up big numbers against New England’s defense, and he would often playfully taunt the opposing fans or opposing players. Secondly, last season, Diggs tore his ACL in late October while playing for the Houston Texans- requesting a trade out of Buffalo the previous spring. The deal from New England does pose a big risk, but if New England can get even a fraction of Stefon Diggs at his best, the deal would be worth it tenfold. Despite the seemingly mutual hatred between New England and Stefon Diggs, it seems like everything is patched up, the fans welcomed Stefon in with open arms, and everybody is ready to get to work, contribute to big things next season, and most importantly, everybody gets a clean slate- including Stefon Diggs.

The question on everyone’s mind is which jersey number will Stefon Diggs choose? His previous numbers, 1, & 14 are taken by wide receiver, Ja’Lynn Polk, and newly signed linebacker, Robert Spillane. After longtime defensive captain, Ja’Whaun Bentley was released, the number 8 became available. Regardless of which number Diggs chooses, fans of New England should be excited and ready for a highly anticipated season in September!

Most recently on April 1st, Owner Robert Kraft announced that legendary head coach, Bill Parcells will be joining the Patriots hall of fame this summer.

This announcement came as a surprise to many as for years, the Kraft family & Parcells had a big falling out in 1996 following Super Bowl 31, in a losing effort against the Green Bay Packers. The rift between Kraft & Parcells had been building for a long time, and in the buildup to Super Bowl 31, it became clear that the two would part ways following the Super Bowl, regardless of the outcome. Ultimately it appears that no matter what happened in the past, be it between Kraft & Parcells, or Stefon Diggs & the Patriots, every side has made amends and are looking ahead to the future and beyond.

Every single year, roughly in the middle of March, a new NFL season begins. The draft gets closer, fans speculate about which direction their team will go, and any player with an expiring contract, or not currently on a team enters the free agent pool. Free agency is a period where teams can negotiate with a player to offer them a contract and help improve the team’s current situation and improve their current roster.

For the Patriots, this wasn’t anything new. In years past, New England always seemed to miss out on big names. Whether it was financial reasons, or preferences by the players, it was always the same story of settling for the second or third best option.

This year though, things were different. The Patriots had the most money to spend out of all 32 teams in the league, and both the organization and fans knew that if we were going to turn things around and start winning, the Patriots needed to make a splash, and that’s exactly what they did!

For starters, Head Coach Mike Vrabel signed Harold Landry III, a veteran who played under Vrabel during his time coaching the Tennessee Titans. Landry is vital in scenarios where a defense has to step up and stop the opposing team’s running game. In Landry’s 8-year career thus far, he has amassed a solid resume of, 98 games played, 397 total tackles, 251 solo tackles, 146 assisted tackles, 50.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. Landry also has one pro bowl appearance in 2021. New England has themselves a great player and game changer. For his previous efforts, Harold Landry has earned his contract and is being paid handsomely on a three-year deal worth thirty-seven million dollars, roughly averaging $14.3 million dollars per year.

Sticking to the defensive side, the next big signing was linebacker, Robert Spillane- a former Pittsburgh Steeler & Las Vegas Raider. Spillane is a very underrated veteran of the NFL whose abilities get overshadowed by bigger names. In 84 games played, Spillane has totaled, 497 total tackles, 301 solo tackles, 196 assisted tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble & 2 fumble recoveries, and 6 interceptions. Many people and fans consider Spillane the biggest free agent steal for the Patriots. Getting a contract worth three years and thirty-seven million dollars, roughly $14.3 million per year, just like his new teammate, Harold Landry.

New England added a big name to their secondary, reaching a deal with cornerback, Carlton Davis. The contract is worth up to $30 million dollars on a 3-year deal, averaging $10 million dollars per year before taxes. Davis is widely considered a top cornerback and is the perfect complement to young star, Christian Gonzales. Davis has been in the league for seven seasons, being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018. In his career, Davis has played in 89 games, recording 380 total tackles, 310 solo tackles, 70 assisted tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, and 11 interceptions. Davis also won a Super Bowl in 2020 as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After spending one season with the Detroit Lions in 2024, Davis finds himself in New England playing under defensive masterminds, Mike Vrabel & Terrell Williams. Williams is also very familiar with Davis as he was a member of the Detroit Lions defensive coaching staff during the 2024 season.

Now, the biggest name, and the biggest signing for New England during this free agency class. Defensive tackle, Milton Williams. Although originally intent on signing a deal with the Carolina Panthers, Williams was made an offer from New England that he could not refuse. A four-year deal worth one hundred and four million dollars. Averaging twenty-six million per year and officially making Milton Williams the highest paid player in the history of the New England Patriots franchise. Coming off of a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams is a monster on the defensive line and his stats speak for themselves.

In four years on the Eagles, Milton played in 67 games, totaling 132 tackles, 66 solo & 66 assisted tackles, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery.

As mentioned, Milton Williams won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles this past February and at only 25 years old, his career is just beginning & the Patriots are looking more dangerous for any opposing offense. The last really big-name New England signed at the time of writing this, was on the offensive side. Tackle, Morgan Moses. At 34 years old, Moses has been in the league for 11 seasons, playing for the, then Washington Redskins, who transitioned to the Washington Commanders from 2014-2020, then became a New York Jet in 2021 for a single season. Moses was then signed by the Baltimore Ravens for two years, 2022-2023. One season later, Moses signed with the Jets on a one-year deal before finally ending up in New England on a three-year deal worth $33 million dollars, averaging $11 million dollars per year before taxes. At 34 years old and playing in 166 games to this point, one can only assume that this is the final contract Morgan Moses signs in his career. Quarterback Drake Maye has more protection in the pocket now. Some experts have said that Morgan Moses is a great signing for the Patriots.

During the remainder of this period, Mew England, Elliot Wolf, Mike Vrabel all made the moves that they saw fit. Signing big names to fill needs on both sides, signing lesser-known players for depth or rotational players, and also losing some key players. The veterans that will not be returning to New England are cornerback, Jonathan Jones- arriving as an Undrafted free agent in 2016. Defensive End and captain, Deatrich Wise Jr, being drafted by New England in 2017, and eight-time team captain, Center, David Andrews. Joining the team in 2016 alongside Jones as an Undrafted free agent. Andrews earned his way up the ranks and became the anchor for this offense. The three veterans earned Super Bowl victories, Andrews & Jones in 2016 & 2018, Wise Jr. in 2018. Their paths are now different but their efforts and contributions to the Patriots franchise will never be forgotten. Wise Jr. & Jones both signed with the Washington Commanders, while Andrews is still currently a free agent and is able to sign with any team he chooses as long as he is offered. Whether Andrews wants to remain playing or call it a career, he has had one of the most successful careers of any Undrafted player.

Even though the free agency period is still active, the consensus is New England has their sights set on the draft which begins on April 24th. Even though the team still has some needs, especially on the offensive side of the ball, they immensely improved their current situation and gave a positive outlook on their upcoming season.

In January, chairman, Robert Kraft made it very clear that he wants to win. After New England spent a collective amount of $299.8 million dollars, while still having a lot of money left over to still work with, the franchise has put the league and world on notice that we want to win, and we are coming back for the throne.

All player stats sited from ESPN, all financial information came from reports from Ian Rapoport & Adam Schefter.