Five Patriots with the most to prove at training camp after surprise Super Bowl run

The New England Patriots bring a new level of expectations to the 2026 season. Their turnaround was quick, but whether they can maintain that momentum is the bigger question.

Heading into last year, quarterback Drake Maye was about to play his first full season as a starter. Mike Vrabel just took the job, and they were coming off a 4-13 season. This year, the Patriots are defending AFC Champions with Maye as the MVP runner-up and Vrabel earning Coach of the Year.

Was 2026 just a flash in the pan for the Pats? Or are they back to being a threat to the AFC, just as they were for two decades during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick Era?

These questions will be answered in part by the performance of a few key players with a lot to prove. Some need to prove themselves after a bad playoff performance; others need to show they can bounce back from injury; some need to prove their contract is worth it; while others need to step up not only as leaders but as the star the team needs and lacked last season.

Here are the five players with the most to prove during training camp:

Will Campbell (and the offensive line)

If you watched Super Bowl LX, or any of New England's playoff run, you know why Will Campbell is listed. He wasn't the same player after coming back from a MCL tear he suffered in Week 12, and his performance dipped significantly when it counted most.

Campbell allowed 29 pressures during the playoffs, the most in the league since 2016. The 2025 No. 4 overall pick was credited with allowing one of the five Maye sacks in the Super Bowl and four total in the playoffs. Maye ate 21 postseason sacks, an NFL record.

Drake Maye

This is the biggest of Maye's three years in the league. In his rookie season, he experienced growing pains, and last season, he adjusted to a new coach and exceeded expectations. This year, however, the pressure is on more than ever; the lights are bright, the schedule is more difficult, and with an upgraded roster, his play should naturally improve.

He won't get as many passes (no pun intended) for missteps this year as he had the first two years in the league. How he builds relationships with the new players, specifically A.J. Brown, will be paramount. Maye needs better results in the red zone, needs to take fewer sacks (which is also on his protection), and needs to improve ball security.

A trip to the Super Bowl is great, but the criticisms of the easy schedule are valid. Maye needs to prove that last year wasn't a fluke and that he can remain a top QB in the league. We've seen it before, where a quarterback explodes one year, then doesn't ever quite reach that same height in future years, and this is Maye's time to prove he won't be added to that conversation.

A.J. Brown

Wide receiver A.J. Brown heads to Foxboro after a rollercoaster experience with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots desperately needed a reliable WR1 for some time, and Brown was brought in to be that guy. Their lack of a real star wideout lately has made both the teams and fans desperate for someone who can fill that role. 

As Vrabel's former player with the Tennessee Titans, there is familiarity. 

Brown needs to prove he was worth what the Patriots gave up to acquire him, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick

The Patriots ranked 23rd in receiving yards last season (4.459), but were tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns (31). Stefon Diggs reached 1,000 yards receiving last year, but before that, the last Patriot to hit the mark was Julian Edelman in 2019. Diggs is not currently on the team, and Brown is looking like the best long-term option for a reliable receiver.

Christian Gonzalez

Christian Gonzalez believes he is the best cornerback in the game and wants to get paid as such. This week, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the team made a contract offer that would make Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Los Angeles Rams' Trent McDuffie currently holds that title, with an average salary of $31 million per year. 

Gonzalez is eligible for an extension and was training at the camp despite not yet agreeing to a new contract. He could hold out as he looks to get the deal done, and how both sides handle the negotiations as training camp takes place will be one to watch. 

The 24-year-old allowed just 14 completions on 36 targets, marking the lowest completion percentage against (38.8 percent) for a cornerback in the playoffs since at least 2018. 

The 2023 No. 17 overall pick has shown his ability to be a shutdown corner in the league, and if he gets paid, the pressure will be on even more. 

Kayshon Boutte

The Patriots' wide receiver room also includes Brown, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, and Kyle Williams, and they have a reliable pass-catcher in tight end Hunter Henry. Boutte is going to need to do a lot to stand out in camp with such a crowded WR room.

There are frequent trade talks surrounding Boutte, as the 2023 sixth-rounder enters the final year of his rookie contract. Boutte has done well through the first few days of practice, and Vrabel said the trade rumors haven't impacted the 24-year-old's focus or performance, noting that he's "off to a good start."

His prior chemistry with Maye should help his case, and he has shown the work ethic to keep his roster spot.

Honorable mention: Mike Vrabel

Vrabel defied expectations and won Coach of the Year, but it wasn't without criticism. Like Maye, the easy schedule came up often when discussing Vrabel's success last year. With a more difficult one this year, he can prove that it wasn't due to the easy opponents.

The elephant in the room is the off-field drama involving Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini. Photos of the two together were made public, causing uproar across the league. Some even suggested the Patriots could fire him. The dust has settled somewhat, and Vrabel still has his job, but with the situation still top of mind for many, Vrabel has a lot to prove as he meets with the team and the media. The 50-year-old needs to ensure he still has the team's trust and respect despite the distraction.