2020 New England Patriots season
The 2020 season is the New England Patriots' 51st in the National Football League, their 61st overall, and their 21st under head coach Bill Belichick.
It will also be the first season since 1999 without long-time quarterback Tom Brady on the roster and the first since 2000 without Brady as starting quarterback, who announced he would leave the team in free agency on March 17 via social media and subsequently signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Believed by many to be the greatest quarterback of all time, Brady led the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances, winning six of them from the 2001 to 2018 seasons, and had been their starting quarterback from September 30, 2001 until the team's final game in 2019.
After signing long-time Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2015 MVP Cam Newton on June 29, 2020, the Patriots will attempt to equal or improve on their 12–4 record from the previous year and win their 12th consecutive AFC East title and their first since 1997 without Tom Brady.
For the 2020 season, the Patriots will wear their Color Rush jerseys as their primary home uniform while introducing a new road uniform for the first time since 2000.
Roster changes
Free agency
Unrestricted
Restricted
Exclusive-Rights
Signings
Releases/waivers
Retirements
Trades
- March 18: the Patriots traded safety Duron Harmon and a 2020 seventh-round selection to the Detroit Lions in exchange for the Lions' 2020 fifth-round selection.
- April 21: the Patriots traded tight end Rob Gronkowski and a 2020 seventh-round selection to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Buccaneers' fourth-round selection.
Draft
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 2 | 37 | Kyle Dugger | S | Lenoir-Rhyne | from Los Angeles Chargers |
| 2 | 60 | Josh Uche | OLB | Michigan | from Baltimore |
| 3 | 87 | Anfernee Jennings | OLB | Alabama | |
| 3 | 91 | Devin Asiasi | TE | UCLA | from Las Vegas |
| 3 | 101 | Dalton Keene | TE | Virginia Tech | from Seattle via New York Jets |
| 5 | 159 | Justin Rohrwasser | K | Marshall | from Las Vegas |
| 6 | 182 | Michael Onwenu | G | Michigan | from Detroit via Indianapolis |
| 6 | 195 | Justin Herron | OT | Wake Forest | from Denver |
| 6 | 204 | Cassh Maluia | MLB | Wyoming | from Houston |
| 7 | 230 | Dustin Woodard | C | Memphis | from Atlanta |
Notes
- New England traded a 2020 first-round selection to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a 2020 second-round selection and a 2020 third-round selection.
- New England traded a 2020 second-round selection to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for wide receiver Mohamed Sanu.
- New England acquired a 2020 second-round selection and a 2020 fourth-round selection in exchange for two 2020 third-round selections.
- New England acquired a 2020 third-round selection and a 2020 fifth-round selection in exchange for a 2020 third-round selection, a 2020 fourth-round selection, and a 2020 fifth-round selection.
- New England acquired a 2020 third-round selection in exchange for two 2020 fourth-round selections and a 2021 sixth-round selection.
- New England acquired a 2020 fourth-round selection as part of a trade that sent their 2019 third- and sixth-round selections to the Chicago Bears.
- New England acquired a 2020 fourth-round selection as part of a trade that sent tight end Rob Gronkowski and a 2020 seventh-round selection to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- New England traded a 2020 fourth-round selection to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor and a 2020 sixth-round selection.
- New England traded a 2020 fifth-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round selection and defensive lineman Michael Bennett.
- New England acquired a 2020 fifth-round selection as a part of a trade that sent safety Duron Harmon and a 2020 seventh-round selection to the Detroit Lions.
- New England acquired a 2020 sixth-round selection as part of a trade that sent two 2020 sixth-round selections to the Indianapolis Colts.
- New England acquired a 2020 sixth-round selection as part of a trade that sent cornerback Duke Dawson and a 2020 seventh-round selection to the Denver Broncos.
- New England traded a 2020 sixth-round selection to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for offensive tackle Korey Cunningham.
- New England acquired a 2020 sixth-round selection as part of a trade that sent cornerback Keion Crossen to the Houston Texans.
- New England traded a 2020 sixth-round selection to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for center Russell Bodine.
- New England acquired a 2020 seventh-round selection as part of a trade that sent safety Jordan Richards to the Atlanta Falcons.
- New England acquired a 2020 seventh-round selection as part of a trade that sent tight end Jacob Hollister to the Seattle Seahawks.As the result of the negative differential of free agent signings and departures that the Patriots experienced during the first wave of the 2019 free agency period, the team received the league-maximum four compensatory selections for the 2020 draft. Free agent transactions that occurred after May 7, 2019 did not factor into the team's formula for determining compensatory selections.
Undrafted free agents
Staff
Current roster
Preseason cancellation
The Patriots' preseason schedule was announced on May 7. However, on July 27, in a letter to fans, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell officially announced the cancellation of the entire preseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Regular season
Schedule
The Patriots' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7, and is subject to change, pending developments in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.Notes
- Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
- Networks and times for Sunday games from Weeks 5–17 are subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling.