Patriots acquire the king of interceptions

The New England Patriots have strengthened their defensive secondary by signing veteran cornerback Kevin Byard III.

According to reports from the NFL Network, the 32-year-old has agreed to a one-year contract worth $9 million.

This signing allows Byard to reunite with a familiar face: head coach Mike Vrabel. The two men previously worked together when Vrabel was head coach of the the Tennessee Titans between 2018 and 2023.
Byard arrives in New England after an excellent individual season. In 2025, he led the NFL in interceptions with seven, a feat he had previously achieved in 2017 when he caught eight opposing passes. This performance earned him a third selection to the league’s first All-Star team.

Before joining the Patriots, the veteran played for the Chicago Bears, where he had two solid seasons. In 2025, he racked up 93 tackles, eight passes defended, and four tackles for loss, in addition to his seven interceptions. Consistency is also one of his great strengths. Since joining the NFL in 2016 as a third-round pick of the Titans, Byard has never missed a regular-season game. He has an impressive streak of 164 consecutive games, plus ten more in the playoffs.

Throughout his career, he has established himself as one of the most productive safeties in the league. With 36 interceptions to his credit, he currently ranks second among active players, behind Harrison Smith of the Carolina Panthers.entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline”>Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings.

Aaron Jones ultimately stays in Minnesota

Meanwhile, the Vikings have also settled an important issue concerning running back Aaron Jones. According to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, the veteran has agreed to restructure his contract in order to remain with the team.

The new deal calls for a salary of approximately $5.6 million for next season, including $5 million guaranteed. The decision comes after Minnesota considered trading the player earlier this month.

Jones, 31, was limited by injuries in 2025. He played in 12 games and totaled 548 rushing yards, his lowest output since his rookie season with the Green Bay Packers in 2017.

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