2 Patriots first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2026 NFL season

The New England Patriots should be extremely motivated during the 2026 season. New England’s crushing Super Bowl defeat showed that Mike Vrabel’s team is on the right path. Perhaps they can make a real run at the Super Bowl now that they’ve had one more offseason to mature.

The Patriots added some talented players earlier this spring, headlined by the addition of A.J. Brown on offense. Now New England looks like a Vrabel-led team and should be ready to run through a wall for their head coach.

There are a few important starting jobs still up for grabs during the early days of Patriots training camp. These training camp battles should be make-or-break decisions for Vrabel and his coaching staff.

Which players could take a leap over the next month and win a starting job? And which players need to play their butts off to keep their position?

Two Patriots starters need to be extremely worried about losing their starting jobs before the start of the 2026 NFL season.

Rhamondre Stevenson needs to be worried about TreVeyon Henderson

Stevenson has experienced a slight fall from grace over the past few seasons.

Patriots fans were extremely excited about Stevenson and his future back in 2022. That was a breakout season for the sophomore running back, logging 210 carries for 1,040 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Unfortunately, he has yet to reach those heights ever since.

Stevenson received similar carries in 2024, but only turned them into 801 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. His drop in efficiency from 5.0 yards per carry to 3.9 about says it all.

As a result, the Patriots went out an drafted TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That move was more than just a warning shot at Stevenson, it was a sign that his time as a starter would soon come to an end.

The 2026 season feels like the perfect time for Henderson to take over New England’s backfield.

Henderson already took a huge bite out of Stevenson’s production as a rookie. The rookie logged 180 carries for 911 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 2025. He also added 35 receptions for 221 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Stevenson should be worried about Henderson purely because he is a dual-threat running back. But he should be even more worried because Henderson already proved he’s the better running back.

Now Henderson looks poised to completely take over the backfield during the regular season. The Patriots find themselves in essentially the same position the Lions did a few years ago with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Detroit made Gibbs the featured player, and Montgomery is much more talented than Stevenson.

Stevenson’s spot on the roster is not in danger. However, he could be reserved for power running duties this fall.

Could Morgan Moses lose his starting job to rookie Caleb Lomu?

The Patriots could also see some big changes at right tackle before the 2026 season.

New England entered training camp with 35-year-old veteran Morgan Moses projected to start at the position. But his job could soon be stolen by New England’s top rookie of the offseason.

The Patriots drafted Caleb Lomu in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Lomu is a career left tackle who is renowned for his elite pass protection skills. However, he’ll have to play right tackle in New England with Will Campbell entrenched at left tackle.

Protecting Drake Maye needs to be a priority for the Patriots, especially after he was roughed up throughout the playoffs. That could force the Patriots to lean in his direction earlier than normal, if Lomu proves that he’s ready for the job of course.

Lomu needs to adjust to the NFL game and learn a new position by transitioning to right tackle. That is not an insurmountable challenge during training camp, but it puts him on the clock to steal Moses’ job.

Ultimately, the most likely scenario is that Lomu overtakes Moses at some point during the regular season. That is, if it happens at all in 2026.

Still, Moses needs to understand that he cannot slip up during a crucial 2026 season for New England. If he does, it could cost him his starting job for good.

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