INDIANAPOLIS – It's been just a little over two weeks since the New England Patriots fell short in Super Bowl LX, but the NFL world has already descended upon Indianapolis for the annual Scouting Combine as the page now turns to the 2026 offseason.

While the draft prospects will be questioned, tested and prodded over the next week, it's also an opportunity for the coaches and front office executives to give an early offseason update. On Tuesday, Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Elio Wolf got things started from the podium, reflecting on the success of 2025 and the promise that 2026 offers.

"I'm really proud of our players, they bought in quickly, they figured out how to win," said Wolf. "But I think everyone on the roster is aware that we still need some pieces, and we're going to create as much competition as we possibly can."

A big part of the team going forward will be the robust 2025 draft class, led by fourth-overall pick Will Campbell, third-rounder Jared Wilson and fourth-rounder Craig Woodson, all of whom carved out starting roles and all of whom big things are expected of in 2026.

"We're very excited about the ['25] draft class, and they're just getting started," said Wolf. "You know, they're still young. We were able to get some good minutes out of those guys, and that's a credit to coach Vrabel and his staff, getting those guys ready to play. And I think it's a tribute to them, buying into the culture so quickly and understanding what it means to be a Patriot, and we're excited about the progress that they've made moving forward."

Wolf reiterated Vrabel's message in the wake of the Super Bowl loss that Campbell would remain at left tackle, highlighting that the offensive line as a whole had a strong season before injuries began to strike down the stretch.

"With our best five out there, we won a lot of games," said Wolf. "Obviously, the last game was not very productive in a lot of areas on offense. We're just excited that Will and Jared are made of the right stuff, and we're excited about what they're going to do moving forward."

Wolf was also quick to highlight the growth of second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who was the MVP runner-up while leading the Patriots to a 14-win regular season, an AFC East title and a league-leading 12th AFC Championship.

"Drake made a ton of progress in a lot of areas, not only at the start of the season, but throughout the season," said Wolf. "I think people forget that he's 23 years old, and there's been a lot on his shoulders, and there will continue to be [as the] quarterback for the New England Patriots, but I'm just really excited about him, his toughness, his competitiveness… he's always the same guy. And there are obviously areas on the field that he's going to improve, and he's going to work with coach [Josh] McDaniels and coach [Aston] Grant and get those things taken care of."

With 2025 now officially in the rearview mirror, the focus now shifts to team building. The Patriots don't have a huge list of pending free agents, but it includes every-down players like safety Jaylinn Hawkins and edge K'Lavon Chaisson, and key contributors like defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, linebacker Jack Gibbens and tight end Austin Hooper.

First, they'll tackle free agency, set to open in two weeks on Wednesday, March 11, then continue building their roster and filling their roster holes through the draft. If they can stack another solid class on top of the 2025 class, the arrow will continue to point upwards for New England.

"We filled a lot of needs last year, and we're still building," said Wolf. "We have areas that maybe we feel good about the starters, but maybe the depth is not where we want it to be. We have areas where we maybe need to add a starter. So I think, you know, I think it's going to be sort of a holistic approach, and working together with Coach Vrabel and his staff and the scouting staff, and Richard Miller and Matt Groh on the contract side, and we're going to try to build this thing to improve the team as best we can."

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