In this article, I will take a look at the Linebackers and Special Teams.
Linebackers
Christian Elliss – Elliss played in 15 regular-season games and was second on the team with 94 Tackles. The Patriots matched a Restricted Free Agent offer for 2 years and $12M to retain Elliss’s services. Elliss played up to that contract. In 2024, he was strictly a special-teams player and stepped up in 2025 to a full-time starter. We are looking for Elliss’ to improve in 2026. This is a contract year for Elliss, and I expect we will see his best so that he can cash in on a new Free Agency contract.
Robert Spillane – Spillane has been a consistent Linebacker for years. He is not fancy, just consistently around the ball. Despite missing 4 games, he still led the team with 97 Tackles. However, he will turn 31 later this season, and injuries come easily to older players. He missed 4 games last season, and that is a concern for the Patriots. When he is in there, he controls the Defense as a signal-caller. When he was out, the defense wasn’t as stout.
Chad Muma – Muma was a late-season addition. The 6’3”, 239-pound backer was a 2022 3rd-round (70) selection by Jacksonville out of Wyoming. He was a Third Team All-American and a player I really liked coming out that year. Muma has never been a starter, having started only 7 games in 4 years. He only played in 8 games last season with 9 Tackles. His contribution will be as a backup and special-teams player. Muma was signed by the Patriots off the Colts Practice Squad in Mid-December. At the Combine, Muma ran a 4.63 40-yard dash.
KJ Britt – Britt was an under-the-radar signing by the Patriots in Free Agency. He was drafted in 2022 in the 5th round (176) by Tampa Bay. His best season was in 2024 with 11 starts in 14 games, and he had 72 Tackles. In 2025, he signed a one-year contract with Miami, making just 1 start in 17 games. At just 6’ 240 pounds, the Auburn product ran a 4.76 40-yard dash. Britt is expected to be the backup to Spillane and a special-teams player.
Namdi Obiazor – Obiazor was the only linebacker drafted by the Patriots. He was selected in the 6th round (212) out of TCU. The 6’3” 229-pound backer ran an impressive 4.53 at the Combine. That time was .05 faster than expected. Last season for the Horned Frogs, he had 88 Tackles. Obiazor is expected to contribute on Special Teams and as a backup player inside and outside.
Amari Gainer – Gainer is an older prospect at 26. He played 4 years at Florida State and one year at North Carolina. He went Undrafted in 2025 and signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. Gainer was waived prior to the final cutdown and remained available for every team to sign him. It wasn’t until mid-December that Gainer was signed to the Patriots Practice Squad. Gainer signed a Futures contract with the Patriots after the season. He is a long shot to make the team, but perhaps he can provide depth as a Practice Squad player if he has a good camp.
Otis Reese – Reese spent two years at Georgia (2018 – 2019) and transferred to Ole Miss (2020-2023). He went undrafted but was signed by the Tennessee Titans and Head Coach Mike Vrabel. He didn’t make the Titans roster but was signed to the Practice Squad and was elevated to the 53-man roster in December and played all of 2024 for Vrabel on Special Teams. Last year, he was signed by Buffalo after being cut by Tennessee and was waived in October. The Patriots signed him in December to their Practice Squad and, after the season, signed a Futures contract. Reese will be competing for a spot on the Practice Squad.
Khalil Jacobs – Jacobs signed as an UDFA this season out of Missouri. The 6’1” 227-pound linebacker had 48 tackles in the SEC last season for the Tigers and added 3 sacks. He ran a 4.77 40-yard dash at his Pro day. It remains to be seen what kind of impact Jacobs will make in camp, if any. It appears that Jacobs is just camp fodder.
Special Teams
Brenden Schooler (ST) – Schooler is a Special Teams ace, a player opponents have to game plan around. His value is on each of the 4 Special Teams units, even though he is technically listed as a Safety. He can play some Safety in an emergency or as a gadget player that has spy capabilities against QBs that can break the pocket and run. However, we don’t want Schooler to have to play any significant time at Safety.
Bryce Baringer (P)– I am shocked the Patriots didn’t draft a Punter this year. There were several good ones available late in the draft. Instead, they took players who would have been UDFAs and chose to draft them and not compete for their services. Barringer had a bad year. They even brought in a punter during Mini Camp for a three- day tryout but didn’t sign him. Barringer was ranked 21st with a 40.6 YPP average. Barringer was 15th in percentage of kicks inside the 20 at 41.6%. He ended up 25th in the number of punts (51). There is room for improvement. I would like to see the team bring in a veteran punter to give him some competition.
Andre Borregales (K) – Borregales had a mediocre rookie season. He finished 18th in Field Goal %. In 2025, he also finished 18th on Extra Points %. His longest kick was a 59-yarder. Middle-of-the-pack numbers that need to improve.
Julian Ashby (LS) – The unheralded position doesn’t get noticed unless he screws up. I don’t remember that Ashby missed many snaps. I also didn’t notice him on any downfield tackles on Special Teams either. Just making consistently good snaps is good enough for me. He was a draft pick, so I expected that he would be good.
Support Mark and buy him a coffee.
Support Us: Help Us Compete Against The Corporate Media Giants
We need your help. If you enjoy our content, please help us beat Google's Corporate algorithm by adding us as a preferred source on Google News.
Click the button below and check the box next to "PatsFans.com"
Add as a preferred source on Google News
Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
