The Patriots have found real juice off the edge this season, and that’s made Harold Landry Jr.’s absence easier to absorb - but not easy to ignore.
New England is already one of only eight teams in the league with at least 22 sacks, a sharp turn from last year’s total of 35. Much of that jump has come from younger rushers like Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas, who have helped give the defense a much-needed pass-rush pulse. Even so, the idea of Landry eventually joining that mix still matters.
Landry, the former defensive captain, played 15 games for the Patriots last year and led the team with 8.5 sacks in 2025. He also finished with 10 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits and one forced fumble.
At the start of last season, he came out hot, piling up 5.5 sacks and 12 QB hits in his first seven games. After that, the production dipped, and his postseason role was limited - he missed the AFC title game against Denver and logged just 25 snaps in both the AFC Divisional Round against the Texans and Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks.
The bigger issue has been health. Landry has been dealing with knee injuries dating back to last season, and he has not taken part in full football activities with the Patriots since then. He missed minicamp, training camp and preseason action before landing on the Physically Unable to Perform list before the season.
On Wednesday, Mike Vrabel was asked whether Landry is getting any closer to a return in 2026.
“I would say that anybody that’s still here and that’s getting treatment is tracking [to return],” Vrabel said. “How quickly they track or what that pace is I don’t know. I just know that he’s working extremely hard, and like I’ve said a few times before, whenever he’s ready, he’ll start to return to play or he’ll start that process.
“He’s doing some things on the side. He’s doing some things with the strength coaches and the trainers, and I know he’s working hard.”
Vrabel has been consistent about Landry’s status for months. When minicamp began in the summer, he said: “Harold has played a lot of football,” Vrabel said when minicamp began in the summer.
“And so we just have to try to - this is all part of everyone has a little different plan. I think you guys understand that, having spent a year with us and kind of how we operate.
“So, he is very involved, very heavily involved in the meetings and the workouts and in a leadership role. For him to take reps right now in the spring, I feel like is unnecessary. We will just keep working to make sure that he is ready to go when we need him.”
Last month, Vrabel again left the door open for a return.
“Of course, the plan would be for him to return at some point. I mean, when he’s ready to go,” Vrabel said last month of Landry’s status.
“Harold has been around. He’s working extremely hard and just isn’t ready to go yet.
So, we just have to be patient and continue with what he’s doing, which is coming in every single day, doing his part to be around the team in the morning, and then go and do his rehab. Just not ready yet.
And so we’re not going to put him out there.”
For a Patriots defense leaning on rookies and other young pass rushers, Landry’s return would be a welcome lift down the stretch. For now, though, he remains in the same holding pattern: working, rehabbing, and waiting for the green light.
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