Tommy DeVito spent 2025 watching from the sideline, third on the depth chart behind Joshua Dobbs and Drake Maye. That's not the typical path to a contract extension. Yet here we are in 2026 with DeVito locked into a two-year, $4.4 million deal and a spot higher on the roster. The Patriots clearly saw something worth investing in during that year of observation. The question is whether Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf are reading the same tape.
This isn't a "we're ready to move on" move masquerading as loyalty. This is a calculated bet on a young arm with upside in a system that values quarterback depth differently than most franchises. DeVito gets security, the team gets years of control on a value contract, and there's a legitimate lane for him to compete—especially if injury strikes the primary options. In Vrabel's ruthlessly pragmatic system, that's the entire point of depth.
The real intrigue here is scheme fit. DeVito in the system Vrabel runs—heavy run game, play-action, tight ends involved—theoretically plays to the strengths of a game manager. Josh Dobbs proved last year that you can manage games and extend plays in this offense. DeVito gets a chance to prove the same. The mechanics were always there; it's about processing and decision-making under pressure. One year in the facility, watching film, understanding the defensive keys—that matters more than most fans realize.
The money is irrelevant at $2.2 million per year. This isn't a gamble on the cap. It's organizational patience with a project, which tracks with Vrabel's entire approach to roster-building. He's not interested in flashy; he's interested in functional. If DeVito develops into a reliable third option or even a second-string contributor who can actually run this offense, the extension pays for itself in draft capital you don't have to spend elsewhere.
The Patriots aren't announcing a successor. They're simply acknowledging that a year ago, DeVito had enough rope to hang himself—and he didn't. Sometimes that's enough.
Based on reporting from Pats Pulpit.