The New England Patriots have rebuilt much of their defense in 2025, and the edge is no different. We have made some significant investments and infused talent to help reshape the future of the group.
The process has paid some initial dividends, but the current makeup of the depth chart and its prospects will require more investment.
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Patriots defensive edge depth chart
Harold Landry: It seemed a foregone conclusion that Landry would join the Patriots after being released from the Titans, and he did reunite with former head coach Mike Vrabel before free agency began, signing a three-year, $43.5 million contract. He was named a team captain and got off to a strong start, recording 5.5 sacks in his first seven games. However, ongoing knee injuries limited his performance, and he only completed 8.5 sacks all season and played a limited role in New England’s playoff run. | Signed (2028 UFA) | Reached $16.35 million cap
Craven Chaisson: The former Jaguars first-round draft pick showed some promise during a one-year stint with the Raiders in 2024 and took another step forward after signing a one-year free agent deal with the Patriots. As the starter opposite Landry, he finished with a team-leading 10.5 sacks and 73 quarterback pressures, and also recovered two fumbles, one of which was a touchdown. While he’s hot and cold in the running game as both a pass rusher and a tight end, he’s a key piece to New England’s defensive success in 2025. black hair
Anfernee Jennings: With the additions of Landry and Chaison and a new coaching staff, Jennings lost the starting role he had held the previous two seasons. However, that doesn’t mean he’s having a bad season. In fact, the Patriot’s longest-tenured coach ended up playing some solid games down the stretch while Landry was limited by injury. His pass-rushing upside remains limited despite 4.0 sacks and 25 total pressures, but his run defense remains top-notch. | Signed (2027 UFA) | Reached $4.87 million cap
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Elijah muses: In a season full of surprises, Ponder also deserves a shout-out. After joining the Patriots as a rookie free agent, he not only made the 53-man roster, but actually became a core part of the fringe rotation. He ranks fourth among his position group in tackles, and also has 4.0 sacks and 24 pressures. He also recovered a team-leading three takeaway fumbles. | Signed (2028 RFA) | Reached $1.01 million cap
Bradin Swinson: A fifth-round draft pick, Swinson showed some flashes as a pass rusher in rookie camp and the preseason. Those weren’t enough to earn him a spot on the roster, but after some time on the practice squad, he became the basis for a promotion to the 53-man team in mid-November. Swinson finished the year with four game appearances and 27 defensive snaps. | Signed (2029 UFA) | Reached $1.01 million cap
In addition to these five players, the Patriots also used Jahlani Tavai heavily. However, since the majority of his snaps are still off-ball, he will be included in the linebacker portion of this series later this week.
Patriots offseason preview
While the Patriots have four assets under contract through 2026 and plenty of experience and potential for development, this position is arguably the biggest need on the roster right now. There are a number of reasons for this, including Harold Landry’s age, Klavon Chaisson’s free agency, unclear projections for Elijah Ponder and Bredin Swinson, and the team’s general inability to generate a consistent pass rush last season.
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That latter point is why New England should look for edge help in free agency and early in the draft. After all, the fact is that the team finished the season with just 27 sacks — an average of just 1.3 per game.
If the finances hold up, re-signing Chaisson and hoping the system has some organic development in year two might provide a starting point. However, the long-term outlook remains somewhat unclear, which is why it’s not surprising that the team is doing some intense work with the team at the Scout Combine: The edge appears to be in play in the first two days of the draft, as it should be.
Of course, all of that could change if the team makes a blockbuster move and acquires rumored trade target Max Crosby from the Raiders. However, given the projected costs associated with such a trade, coupled with the depth of the fringe group, especially in the draft, this scenario doesn’t appear to be the most realistic path forward for the Patriots at this time.
