Desperate situation should force Patriots to turn to former foe for help

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

And when you look at the Patriots' current crop of healthy pass rushers, one thing's abundantly clear: the cupboard is basically bare.

Outside of free-agent Dre'Mont Jones (who nobody would describe as an elite pass rusher), the reigning AFC champions don't have a proven commodity at edge heading into a brutal Week 1 rematch against the Seattle Seahawks.

No disrespect to former undrafted free agent Elijah Ponder, but he faces long odds to go from a depth piece to a full-time starter.

Meanwhile, second-round pick Gabe Jacas has looked every bit the player who missed the entire offseason program. Although the physically gifted rookie has intriguing upside, his disappointing preseason performances have raised major doubts about his ability to contribute early.

To make matters worse, veteran Harold Landry will start the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he works his way back from knee surgery.

Ironically, this debacle of a depth chart could open the door for another well-established veteran to make his way back to the AFC East.

And while I ordinarily wouldn't pound the table for the Patriots to sign a player with such a checkered injury history, beggars can't be choosers.

So, after spending the 2025 season trying to take down Drake Maye as a member of the Buffalo Bills, it's time for Joey Bosa to go from foe to friend. Because if the Patriots plan on making a legitimate run at the Lombardi Trophy, they desperately need to add a proven pass rusher—and no one on the market can match Bosa's resume.

Despite current rumors about his career, Joey Bosa isn't done just yet

Make no mistake: Joey Bosa isn't the same guy who was a perennial NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Los Angeles.

However, even a late-stage version of the former No. 3 overall pick is still far better than what the Patriots have right now.

Sure, Bosa hasn't posted a double-digit sack season since 2021. However, his five sacks in 2025 would have ranked third on the Patriots, which reflects just how bad their pass rush was a year ago.

A decade into his career, Bosa is clearly a situational player rather than an every-down force. But with 77 sacks in 122 regular-season games, he's clearly the most established player at the position who's still available. Coming off a solid campaign with the Bills in which he played 15 games (his most since 2021), Bosa showed he can still contribute to a Super Bowl contender.

The situation in New England is exactly the reason someone of his caliber can stay patient and wait out the process. Bosa has a valuable skill set—albeit a limited one at this stage of his career—and the Patriots have an obvious need that needs to be filled immediately.

With the regular season right around the corner, Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf, Ryan Cowden, and John "Stretch" Streicher can't afford to waste any more time waiting to address this glaring hole.

You could easily make the case that they should have been more aggressive in free agency or the trade market, and now they're left in a precarious position that's even scarier with the unresolved Christian Gonzalez contract situation.

The Patriots can't afford to botch this situation, too

Getting a one-year, incentive-laden deal with Bosa shouldn't be difficult. The Patriots can add playing time, sacks, and playoff bonuses to his contract to give him more financial upside. And with plenty of cap space, they shouldn't have any reason not to meet his price when it comes to guaranteed money.

Meanwhile, Bosa would take his talents from a team with a first-time head coach to a franchise with a head coach who won multiple Super Bowls as a player and came close to winning one in his first year back in Foxboro.

Seems like a win-win, right?

For the sake of the secondary, hopefully the front office and coaching staff agree.

Otherwise, based on the dearth of talent on the edge, the back end of Zak Kuhr's defense is in for a long night in Seattle.

So, just like they should with their most important defensive player, the time is now for the Patriots to get a deal done with Joey Bosa.

Let's see if everyone involved comes to their senses before it's too late.

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