The New England Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl last season despite not having a single defender with more than 8.5 sacks.
The Patriots have the depth along the edge and team roster to go on another deep playoff run without an All-Pro caliber edge rusher. But the lack of a truly elite presence on the edge could make things more difficult for New England’s defense.
That’s what Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness argued Thursday when he named a weakness for all 32 NFL teams. McGuinness identified “no dominant edge rusher” as New England’s biggest concern.
“The Patriots have talent throughout their defense, but if there’s one area to criticize, it’s the lack of a truly dominant edge defender,” wrote McGuinness. “Gabe Jacas could develop into that player, and the addition of Dre’Mont Jones gives them another versatile piece they can move around the defensive front.
“Jones ranked just 25th among edge defenders in pressures (51) during the regular season last year, while Harold Landry tied for 28th in his first season in New England despite battling a lingering knee injury.
“The Patriots don’t lack capable edge rushers, and they can manufacture pressure through scheme, but they would benefit from a more consistent difference-maker off the edge.”
Did Patriots Do Enough at Edge Rusher for 2026?
The Patriots finished with just 35 sacks in the 2025 regular season. New England’s defense averaged an additional sack per game in the postseason, which made a difference on the team’s way to the Super Bowl.
But over the large sample of the regular season, only six teams had fewer sacks than New England.
That’s why, other than wide receiver, edge rusher was New England’s biggest need of the offseason. The question entering 2026 is whether the Patriots did enough to address that need.
McGuinness highlighted the team’s two big additions along the edge — Dre’Mont Jones in free agency and Gabe Jacas in the draft. Whether or not they can improve the team’s edge rushers immediately remains to be seen.
In free agency, the Patriots signed Jones but lost veteran K’Lavon Chaisson, who had 0.5 sacks more than Jones a year ago. So, that might be a net gain of zero.
Jacas was a second-round pick. While pundits expect him to be a quality starter, that might not happen for 2026.
Could Harold Landry Become a Pro Bowler Again?
While McGuinness’ analysis of New England’s edge rusher situation was more than fair, it could also be seen as a shot fired at Landry.
Because at times, Landry has been a dominant edge rusher. He’s reached double-digit sacks twice in his career. Landry has also had at least 8.5 sacks each of the past two seasons.
Most of that production was with the Tennessee Titans. But Landry played very well during his first New England season last year. Landry has now spent all but one of his NFL campaigns playing for Mike Vrabel.
Landry’s only Pro Bowl appearance came in 2021 when he posted a career-high 12 sacks. That was five years ago. So, it’s natural for pundits not to expect Landry to return to that production level.
But he has that kind of potential if healthy. If he could reach double-digit sacks, that would likely make a significant difference in how pundits feel about New England’s push rush.
Patriots Defense Put on Notice Before 2026 NFL Season