The Patriots still have a problem off the edge, and it’s one they can’t really afford to let linger into September.
New England came into training camp with more questions than answers at that spot, even after second-round pick Gabe Jacas finally got his rookie deal done. He still isn’t on the field, and the edge rush remains thin enough that the Patriots can’t feel comfortable about where it stands heading toward the 2026 season.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has Josh Sweat on the radar. Knox listed the Arizona pass rusher as one of seven NFL players who could use a change of scenery and pointed to the Patriots as a strong landing spot. At 29, Sweat would give New England exactly what it needs: a proven sack producer.
And the production is real. Sweat is coming off the best sack total of his career, finishing with 12 in Arizona. Knox also laid out why the situation in Arizona could push Sweat toward a move.
"Sweat, who previously starred for the Philadelphia Eagles, joined former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon in Arizona last offseason and proceeded to have a 12-sack campaign. However, Gannon was fired and replaced with Mike LaFleur this offseason, which has led to speculation about Sweat's future-though NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has insisted that Sweat won't be dealt.
Sweat should hope it will since the Cardinals are more likely to contend for the top pick in the 2027 draft than a playoff spot. Sweat should hope that he can parlay the most prolific season of his career into an opportunity with a contender in need of pass-rush help."
For the Patriots, the need is obvious. Their sack output in 2025 was mediocre, and the weakness showed up in the Super Bowl loss to Seattle, when they were beaten 6-1 in sacks.
They tried to address the position this offseason by letting K'Lavon Chaisson walk and bringing in Dre'Mont Jones, but that move looks like a wash. Then came Jacas, whose path so far has been one of the offseason’s more negative storylines.
Even now, there’s no clear answer on when - or if - he’ll be ready to get on the field, let alone help.
That leaves New England staring at the same issue it started with. Harold Landry III’s injury status is also uncertain, and that only sharpens the urgency. The Patriots need edge help before the season begins, and they may need more than one addition.
Free agency still offers options in Joey Bosa and Jadeveon Clowney, either of whom would cost no draft-pick compensation. But if the Patriots want to swing bigger, Sweat makes sense as a trade target. If Arizona is willing to talk and the price is right, he’d be a strong fit for a defense that simply needs more sacks.
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 🡒]