The Patriots had a real chance to jump into the Jonathan Greenard sweepstakes earlier this offseason, and at the time it made plenty of sense. Their pass rush was already one of the clearest weak spots on the roster, and once Greenard made it known he wanted out of Minnesota after realizing he likely wasn’t going to get the extension he wanted, New England looked like a natural trade partner.
That interest never turned into a deal, and the Vikings eventually sent Greenard to the Eagles. Now, with training camp opening and Greenard headed to Philadelphia’s Physically Unable to Perform list, the Patriots have a fresh reason to feel good about standing pat.
It’s not that the need disappeared. Far from it.
New England still has questions up front, especially with a schedule that includes some of the league’s most mobile quarterbacks. That has been a problem for the Patriots before, and there’s not much evidence yet that they’re better equipped to handle it now than they were a year ago.
There was some buzz coming out of minicamp and OTAs around Dre’Mont Jones, who reportedly stood out with his work ethic and performance. But the rest of the depth chart still leans heavily on unproven players, and Harold Landry beginning training camp on the PUP list only makes the situation more uncomfortable. The Patriots also only just got rookie Gabe Jacas under contract this past week, and he still isn’t practicing.
That’s why Greenard’s injury matters here. A veteran edge rusher with his kind of production would have been an obvious boost for a defense that needs one. Instead, he’s sidelined after suffering an injury during a workout, and that’s exactly the kind of problem New England could not afford to inherit.
So while there’s still a case to be made that the Patriots need another proven pass rusher, this is one more moment that makes Eliot Wolf’s decision to hold back look smart. The roster still needs answers, and it needs them fast. But at least this time, New England avoided adding another name to the list of unavailable edge defenders.
Now the pressure shifts to the current group. The Patriots need someone to step forward while Landry is out, and they need a few of those unproven pass rushers to show they can handle real responsibility. If that doesn’t happen, the talk about adding another veteran - whether it’s Jadeveon Clowney or Kyle Van Noy - isn’t going away anytime soon.
In Other News...
DeAndre Hopkins Just Created A New Patriots Question At Camp
DeAndre Hopkins brief stop in Foxborough gave the Patriots a little extra star power during training camp, with the veteran receiver spending a few days around the wideout room to observe and help out. It was an unusual arrangement, but one that fit the tone of camp: a chance for younger receivers to pick up a few things from a player who has spent years at the top of the position.
Mike Vrabel said Hopkins time with the team has now ended as planned, closing the book on a short stay that was always meant to be temporary. The move still leaves an interesting question hanging over New England, though, because Hopkins presence was enough to make people wonder whether this was just a one-off visit or the start of something more down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Exposed One Roster Battle Fans Feared Most
The Patriots are about to reach a more revealing point in camp, with their fifth practice session set to be the first in full pads. After a few days of lighter work, that should give coaches a better read on a roster that has already been reshaped by major additions at receiver and by the early push from players trying to hold onto jobs. Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown are still building chemistry with Drake Maye under Josh McDaniels, while the offensive line has shown enough promise to suggest the group may be coming together faster than expected.
Kayshon Boutte has also turned early opportunities into a real roster argument, which matters on a depth chart that suddenly has more competition than it did a month ago. Camp is still young, but the next few padded sessions should tell a lot about who can separate from the pack and who is simply keeping pace. For a team trying to sort out its passing game and stabilize the pieces around Maye, those evaluations carry more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Vrabel Just Raised A Bigger Patriots WR Question As Boutte Surges
Training camp is usually where a team learns whether its receiver room is deep enough to survive the season, and Mike Vrabel made clear that New England is still sorting through that question. He pointed to the value of competition at the position and left open the idea that the Patriots could improve the group in a few different ways, whether through added draft capital, bringing in a player or simply sticking with what is already there.
Kayshon Boutte has helped make that conversation more interesting. Vrabel praised the third-year receiver for a strong offseason, a good start to camp and the professional way he has handled his role, noting how much he has already meant to the team's success. With Boutte in a contract year and trying to keep building on that momentum, the bigger issue for New England is whether his rise is enough to settle the depth chart or only sharpens the need to keep looking. [Read more 🡒]