Four Patriots Named To Pre-Season All-AFC East Team

The New England Patriots have several of the most talented players in the AFC East. And with Mike Vrabel now leading the charge, it's not out of the equation to see the Patriots making a push for a wild card spot in the AFC playoff picture.

With the season getting closer and closer to starting, Matt Holder of Bleacher Report went through every division and created pre-season all-star teams for all of them. In the AFC four Patriots cracked the final squad. For starters, right guard Mike Onwenu was the lone returning Patriot to earn a spot on offense. despite a sub-par 2024.

"Onwenu is coming off a down year, but that was partially because he was bouncing back and forth between right guard and tackle," Holder writes. "With Morgan Moses in New England, the six-year pro can stick at guard and return to being consistent in both phases of the game."

On defense, Christian Gonzalez was the lone returning Patriot to earn a spot on that side of the ball alongside Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets.

"There isn't a debate here," Holder writes. "Gardner has quickly become one of the best corners in the league, while Gonzalez was a second-team All-Pro last year. Maybe Christian Benford sneaks in at the end of the year, but these are the top two heading into the fall."

Two new Patriots also made the team. Starting on offense, Stefon Diggs was named one of three receivers on the team alongside Tyreek Hill and Khalil Shakir. Linebacker Robert Spillane is the other new signee that made the team. alongside Quincy Williams of the New York Jets.

"Williams is two years removed from a first-team All-Pro bid and has a streak of four seasons with at least 100 tackles," Holder writes. "The logic is similar with Spillane, who had 148 and 158 tackles during his two seasons in Las Vegas."

Should all of these talents play to their potential, on top of Drake Maye taking a step forward, New England can be one of the surprises of the 2025 season.