White was a Patriots’ second-round pick (46th) in the 2023 draft and showed promise under Jerod Mayo last year with five sacks in 13 starts. But he struggled under Vrabel and fell behind K’Lavon Chaisson on the depth chart.

The tight end ruptured his Achilles in San Francisco's 23-19 victory against Philadelphia, and his status for the start of the 2026 season is now in doubt. Kittle is 32, and it's fair to wonder if he'll ever be the same type of dominant player.