4 Patriots tumbling down depth charts during the preseason
By Mike Luciano
3. LB Harvey Langi
Tackles might be one of the worst ways to evaluate linebackers, as they don’t take into account the possibility that the player in question was frequently targeted in coverage. That was the case with Langi against Washington, as Ryan Fitzpatrick, Taylor Heinicke, and Steven Montez all picked him apart.
Langi’s 10 tackles led the team, but he was frequently sought out in coverage over the middle, as his lack of great speed and short-area quickness were disappointing. He and Cassh Maluia both had some rough moments, as they did little to challenge the established starters at the top.
Yeesh. RB Jaret Patterson just juked Patriots LB Harvey Langi out of his shoes.
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) August 13, 2021
Will Harvey Langi make the Patriots?
While the linebacker position is starting to fade away in a passing league leaning more on defenses that feature tons of defensive backs, the Patriots will still find ways to get players like Kyle Van Noy, Dont’a Hightower, and Ja’Whuan Bentley on the field as much as possible. They won’t do that for Langi.
Langi is not some random camp body. He is a five-year veteran with experience in New England’s system and 60 tackles to his name as a starter with the Jets last season. To come out and put up a dud like that, outside of misleading tackle numbers, was a huge disappointment.