Mon, Aug 24, 2026
The day's biggest item was contract news: EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf broke his silence on Christian Gonzalez's unsigned extension during Saturday's broadcast, saying only that “each side is trying to do what's best for them” and that the team will “continue working with his representation” — no breakthrough, with Gonzalez under control through 2027 on an $18.119M fifth-year option and Devon Witherspoon's four-year, $132M Seattle deal now setting the market. Roster and injury news dominated the rest ahead of the Aug. 30 cutdown to 53: swing tackle Marcus Bryant's ankle injury could push first-rounder Caleb Lomu into that role, undrafted rookie LB Khalil Jacobs is now projected to make the roster while veteran Chad Muma has emerged as a surprise cut candidate, and Gonzalez remains sidelined, opening reps for CB Kindle Vildor. Vrabel has not decided whether Drake Maye plays Thursday at Cleveland.
Stories Yahoo is featuring on the Patriots team feed, with related coverage grouped underneath.
A two-time Super Bowl champion names Maye his preseason MVP favorite entering year three, after Maye's second-team All-Pro season and Super Bowl LX run. Maye was also just ranked No. 11 on the NFL Top 100.
Eliot Wolf, in a halftime interview during Saturday's Eagles game, said “each side is trying to do what's best for them” and that New England will “continue working with his representation.” Robert Kraft said in July the Patriots offered Gonzalez a deal that would make him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback; Schefter reported Aug. 19 the sides were not close, and Gonzalez is under control through 2027 via an $18.119M fifth-year option.
After the 24-21 win over Philadelphia, Vrabel said “I don't think we have a very deep team” and that he'd play starters Thursday if that's what preparation requires. The piece notes the O-line thinned out after losing Caedan Wallace and putting Andrew Rupcich on IR with a torn MCL, forcing the signing of 36-year-old Greg Van Roten.
New England is named among the playoff teams that got meaningfully better this offseason, largely on the A.J. Brown trade and the Romeo Doubs signing.
Everything new in the trailing 24 hours, newest first.