Patriots: 10 Most Valuable Players from 2015 Regular Season

7. Chandler Jones

In 2015, Jones put forth the best season for a Patriots’ defensive end since Mike Vrabel in 2007. Jones’ 12.5 sacks ranked fifth in the league and matched Vrabel’s total eight years ago. Jones also forced four fumbles, one of which translated into a scoop and score for Akiem Hicks against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.

Ranking all 16 regular season games by most fun to watch  

Here’s an evaluation Bill Belichick made of Jones’ play back in November:

"The closer you are to the ball more often, the more chances you’re going to have of making plays, and I’d say Chandler has definitely done that. He’s put himself close to the quarterback on a number of occasions and sometimes he makes the play, sometimes he forces to somebody else, but he’s around there quite a bit, so he certainly is getting a high level of production there because of that."

Jones has been aided by the consistently strong play of Ninkovich and Sheard. Those three guys have worked together to produce one of the best quarterback-pressuring units the Patriots have had in recent memory; the Patriots’ 49 sacks ranked second in the league only behind the Denver Broncos’ 52.

Next: 6. Devin McCourty