Whether or not Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots make another significant addition at edge rusher remains to be seen. But this week, the team announced signing outside linebacker Xavier Holmes in undrafted free agency.
Holmes was one of two players the Patriots signed Monday who tried out at the team’s rookie minicamp. The other was safety Peter Manuma.
The linebacker played four seasons of college football at Maine before capping off his career at James Madison during 2025.
“Holmes, 24, began his college career at Maine (2021-24) before finishing at James Madison in 2025,” wrote Patriots.com. “The 6-foot-2, 252-pounder, played in 14 games last season and finished with 30 total tackles, 6 sacks, 1 interception, 4 passes defensed and a blocked kick.”
Mike Vrabel, Patriots Sign Edge Rusher Xavier Holmes
Holmes will enter full-team offseason workouts as one of the eight edge rushers on the New England roster. He is also one of three Patriots rookies who spent part of their college career at a New England school.
At Maine, Holmes posted 8.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and one interception in 25 games.
Both Holmes and Manuma will give New England depth on the defensive side of the ball.
SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit’s Bernd Buchmasser was complimentary of Manuma’s versatility and speed.
“The late rounds of the draft and subsequent rookie free agency are typically not the place to bring well-rounded prospects into the fold. Instead, teams go hunting for traits,” wrote Buchmasser.
“In Manuma’s case, that trait is speed. The Hawaii product ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process, indicative of the range needed to play deep safety in the NFL. Whether or not the 6-foot-0, 205-pounder will actually do so remains to be seen; he played not just as a free safety but also regularly moved closer to the line of scrimmage or into the slot.”
In addition to providing defensive depth, both Manuma and Holmes could play on special teams.
Patriots Edge Rushing Depth in 2026 NFL Offseason
Holmes will join an edge rusher group that already includes seven other players in New England.
Buchmasser projected four of those eight will make the roster. He also predicted, somewhat obviously, that edge rushers Harold Landry III, Dre’Mont Jones and Gabe Jacas are locks to make the team after the 2026 preseason.
That leaves Holmes battling with Elijah Ponder, Bradyn Swinson, Jesse Luketa and Quintayvious Hutchins for the potential final edge rusher spot on the active roster.
At most, those five players will have two spots reserved for them.
In all likelihood, Manuma will have an easier path to a roster spot at safety for the Patriots.
If Holmes doesn’t make New England’s active roster, he could be a candidate for the practice squad. Now more than ever, those players can still make an impact during the NFL regular season.
The Patriots will see their edge rushers all together for the first time at the team’s next organized offseason workout on May 26. The team has nine days of practice before mandatory minicamp.
New England’s mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 15-17.
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