The Patriots’ pass rush has reached the point where standing pat is no longer a real option. With K’Lavon Chaisson gone after his career year, Harold Landry still sidelined by injury, and Dre’Mont Jones unable to give the defense the jolt it needed before his Week 3 injury, New England is short on the kind of heat that changes games.
That showed up again this week against Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars quarterback was sacked only once, on a split credit between Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder, and otherwise faced almost no pressure.
Lawrence had time to work, Jacksonville kept moving the chains, and the result was five touchdowns with the Patriots offering very little resistance. That’s not a formula New England can live with.
If the Patriots are going to dip into free agency for help, there are at least four names worth serious consideration.
Bobby Wagner stands out as a possible two-for-one answer. The 10-time Pro Bowl linebacker is 36, but he still put together a big season with 162 combined tackles, 8 for a loss, 9 quarterback hits, 2 interceptions, and 4.5 sacks.
He averaged 9.5 tackles per game, which ranked sixth in the league, and his ability to tackle and stop the run would address two of New England’s biggest issues. He’s not a long-term fix, but his veteran presence could matter a lot for a young defensive group.
Haason Reddick brings more pure edge-rushing upside. His recent stretch has been messy, including a frustrating finish with the Jets, but the production is still there in his profile.
Not long ago, he posted 11 sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, and 23 quarterback hits in a season, the kind of aggressive, disruptive play Mike Vrabel tends to value. The last two years haven’t matched that peak, and health has been part of the story, including only 13 games with the Bucs last year.
Still, if he can stay on the field, he gives the Patriots something they badly need.
Denico Autry is the name that fits the Vrabel connection most cleanly. Vrabel has shown he likes familiar players, and Autry spent three seasons in Tennessee starting in 2021, when he produced 108 combined tackles, 30 for a loss, 54 quarterback hits, 14 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, and 28.5 sacks.
His last two seasons with the Texans were quieter, with 21 combined tackles, 6 for a loss, 10 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks in 22 games, but the familiarity factor could matter here. At the very least, he would bring experience and a steady voice.
Leonard Floyd rounds out the group as the model of durability. The Super Bowl Champion has missed only two games over the last five seasons, and that kind of availability would be a welcome change for a Patriots defense that has been battered by injuries.
He has played for five teams in 10 years and has recent experience with the Bills, 49ers, and Falcons. Over the last three years, he totaled 93 combined tackles, 22 for a loss, 46 quarterback hits, 3 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, and 22.5 sacks.
With playoff and Super Bowl experience in the mix, he would bring both steadiness and pass-rush help.
New England does not need a perfect answer. It needs somebody who can make the front seven harder to deal with right now. These four defenders all fit that basic requirement.
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Cam Newton Just Turned Drake Maye Into A Patriots Debate
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For the Patriots, the debate is less about one harsh critique than about how quickly the conversation around Maye can shift from patience to scrutiny. Newton has raised the bar before when he talks about New England, and his latest comments fit that pattern, especially with a young quarterback still trying to find his footing in a less-than-ideal setup. The broader question hanging over the situation is whether the early issues are just part of the learning curve or the start of a more uncomfortable conversation about where this offense is headed. [Read more 🡒]