The New England Patriots have bought themselves some time, and they need it.
With their season opener against the Seattle Seahawks still a little more than 50 days away, the biggest question hanging over the roster is the edge-rusher group. If Week 1 were here now, or even close, New England would be staring at a real shortage off the edge.
Two of the team’s top options, Gabe Jacas and Harold Landry, haven’t taken part in spring practices and are still unresolved heading into training camp next week. That leaves the Patriots in a spot where the depth chart has looked workable in the spring, but not exactly settled.
There has been some good news in the form of the players who stepped into those roles. Still, having two of your best edge rushers sitting out at this point in the calendar is never the cleanest setup.
Landry’s situation is tied to the knee injury he suffered early last season, which slowed his production. Jacas’ issue is different: contract talks remain unfinished. Both have time to sort things out, but both also enter camp with questions attached.
Head coach Mike Vrabel, at mandatory minicamp, made it clear he liked the group already in place and didn’t sound eager to chase outside help.
"That's a good group. I'm excited about adding Dre'(Mont Jones), the development of (Elijah) Ponder and (Bradyn) Swinson.
We added (Jesse) Luketa and some young guys," Vrabel said at mandatory minicamp. "Again, we'll continue to try to look at every position and make it stronger, but that group has done a nice job.
"Again, we'll continue to look at it, but we'll have to see where we are at numbers-wise, and when we get into training camp just how many guys you can rep, based on the practices."
Vrabel didn’t mention Landry or Jacas in that answer, which may not mean much on its own. But the way the spring played out suggested the Patriots were operating as if neither would be ready anytime soon.
The most encouraging development came from Swinson and Ponder. In minicamp, the two second-year players stood out and handled starting duties next to Jones. They both looked like legitimate pieces in the rotation, and both are now in position to make a strong case for roster spots.
Ponder’s path has been especially interesting. The undrafted rookie from Cal Poly in 2024 turned a strong preseason into a place on the 53-man roster.
He spent most of his time on special teams before earning more defensive snaps later in the season. In a sense, he claimed the spot that had belonged to Swinson, the former LSU standout whom the Patriots had drafted.
Now the two of them, along with Jones, form a workable trio. The problem is that it still doesn’t feel like enough.
Jones, who has moved around the league since leaving Ohio State, brings versatility and run defense to the table. That was a big reason New England chose him in free agency over K’Lavon Chaisson, who led the team in sacks last year.
Chaisson is now with the Washington Commanders, and at the time, that move made sense. The Patriots were expecting Landry to rebound and were planning to use a draft pick on a rookie, which they did in the second round. A sturdier run defender looked like the right bet.
Right now, that choice looks a little shakier.
Veterans are due back at the facility a week from today, which will be the next real checkpoint for the edge group. Landry was at minicamp, though he did not practice. Jacas was absent while his contract situation remains unresolved.
For now, both players are already playing from behind before camp even opens.
The good news for New England is simple: there’s still time. And with the season still more than 50 days away, the Patriots can at least hope this is one problem that doesn’t have to be answered today.
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