New England’s early-season surprises in 2026 include an impactful rookie class, a productive pass-rusher and a minus-seven turnover margin through seven games, according to Boston.com’s Conor Ryan. The Patriots were 4-3 at that point, with several newcomers contributing while expected offensive playmakers TreVeyon Henderson and A.J. Brown had slow starts.
Ryan described the first seven weeks as a mix of struggles and strong performances for a team navigating a demanding schedule and injuries. His assessment covered the Patriots’ draft picks, second-year edge rusher Elijah Ponder, Henderson’s rushing production, Brown’s receiving numbers and New England’s turnover problems.
Those Patriots 2026 surprises span both sides of the ball. Ryan’s figures include Caleb Lomu’s performance at tackle, Gabe Jacas’ early pass-rush production and Eli Raridon’s receiving totals, alongside Ponder’s sacks and the offense’s uneven results.
Patriots 2026 surprises begin with a 4-3 start
Ryan reported that the Patriots had a 4-3 record through seven games. New England was the reigning AFC champion entering the season, and Ryan noted that the team faced a loaded schedule as it tried to return to the playoffs. The early record came amid injuries as well as encouraging contributions from new players.
The rookie class stood out in Ryan’s assessment. Caleb Lomu, a first-round pick, had a 75.1 Pro Football Focus grade, ranking 14th among 71 eligible tackles. Second-round pick Jacas recorded 21 pressures and 13 quarterback hurries in 248 snaps. Third-round pick Raridon caught 12 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns over six games.
Caleb Lomu and Gabe Jacas headline the Patriots rookie class
Ryan reported that Lomu posted a 75.1 PFF grade after entering the lineup at tackle when Morgan Moses or Will Campbell was unavailable. The grade led rookie tackles and ranked 14th among 71 eligible tackles across the league. Lomu’s opportunity came after what Ryan described as a shaky preseason.
In Week 5 against the Raiders, Lomu replaced Campbell at left tackle. Ryan reported that Lomu allowed one pressure and no sacks across 29 pass-blocking snaps while facing Maxx Crosby. In Week 6, he replaced a banged-up Moses and played against Jets rookie David Bailey. Lomu allowed no sacks, quarterback hits, pressures or hurries on 30 pass-blocking snaps, according to Ryan.
Jacas, a second-round pick, also made an early impact after an abbreviated ramp-up to the regular season, Ryan wrote. His 21 pressures and 13 quarterback hurries ranked second on the Patriots in each category, despite coming in 248 snaps. Ryan pointed to Jacas’ production as one part of New England’s pass rush, which also benefited from defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr’s blitz-heavy approach.
Raridon supplied another contribution from the draft class. Over six games, the tight end caught 12 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan reported. Ryan identified Raridon and Lomu as possible long-term replacements for Hunter Henry and Moses, respectively, if they continue to develop.
Eli Raridon and Elijah Ponder add production
Ponder, an undrafted second-year player from Cal Poly, recorded 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble through seven games, according to Ryan. His 75.0 PFF grade ranked 24th among 115 eligible edge rushers. New England had at least 17 sacks at that point, placing it among nine teams to reach that mark.
The pass rush was a concern entering the season after the Patriots recorded 35 sacks in 2025, a total that ranked among the league’s lowest. New England had also lost K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency, while Harold Landry Jr. remained on the physically unable to perform list. Ryan credited Jacas, Kuhr’s pressure-oriented scheme and Ponder’s emergence with helping the unit produce.
Veteran safety Kevin Byard described Ponder as a quiet worker who takes advantage of his opportunities. Byard also praised Ponder, Dre’Mont and Jacas for their play while Landry was unavailable. Ryan characterized Ponder’s burst and athleticism as useful in the Patriots’ frequent blitzes.
TreVeyon Henderson’s rushing numbers temper the early optimism
Henderson entered 2026 after rushing for 911 yards and scoring nine touchdowns as a rookie. But Ryan reported that his 39-yard touchdown run against Pittsburgh in Week 2 was his only play of at least 15 yards through the first seven games. Outside that run, Henderson had 164 rushing yards on 51 carries, an average of 3.2 yards per carry.
Ryan pointed to problems with Henderson’s vision and patience when choosing lanes, describing them as issues that had carried over from the previous season. Pass protection was another concern. Against the Bears, Henderson received a 16.4 PFF pass-blocking grade, and a failed blitz pickup contributed to a fourth-quarter punt, Ryan reported.
Henderson’s struggles came as Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner made sizable contributions to the ground game, according to Ryan. The Patriots were seeking more balance on offense, while Henderson had been expected to offer an explosive complement after his rookie season.
A.J. Brown’s Bears line and New England’s turnover margin
Brown’s start was affected by a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 1 against Seattle, Ryan reported. In Week 6 against the Jets, Brown had three drops that Ryan said likely cost the Patriots at least two touchdowns. With Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins on injured reserve, New England needed Brown to become a dependable target for quarterback Drake Maye.
Against Chicago, Brown caught three of six targets for 48 yards, according to Ryan. Maye threw for 321 yards in that game, but wide receivers accounted for 87 of them. The numbers left Brown with a modest share of the passing production as he worked back toward the impact expected of an established top receiver.
New England’s minus-seven turnover margin through seven games ranked second-worst in the league, with only Indianapolis lower, Ryan reported. The Patriots had a plus-three turnover differential in 2025, when they were one of 13 teams with a positive mark. Against Chicago, a red-zone interception by Maye cost New England a chance at three points and preceded a Bears touchdown that produced a 10-point swing.
Maye had improved from a three-game opening stretch in which he recorded one touchdown, six interceptions and two fumbles, Ryan wrote. Still, the Patriots’ offense continued to commit costly turnovers, while the defense had not consistently generated takeaways. Head coach Mike Vrabel called the turnover rate “historic” and “an embarrassment,” according to Ryan.
