The New England Patriots' 2026 offseason is underway, and free agency begins on March 11. The team had a Cinderella-like 2025 season after a brilliant 2025 offseason rebuild by Mike Vrabel. Now the team and Patriot Nation are on to 2026.
One player whose injury was costly and who'll need to bounce back is linebacker Harold Landry III.
Top NFL personnel evaluator Vrabel showed his mettle in the 2025 offseason when he rebuilt a 4-13, 2024 roster (including adding Landry) into a Super Bowl team. It was a brilliant effort, as he improved the team across the board and led them into the Super Bowl.
But that was then, and this is now. Vrabel's challenges will be huge to sustain the team's position near the top of the NFL. The Patriots have $35M in cap room and can free up more by making some strategic roster moves. He'll need every dollar he can get for free agency. He'll also have a far less advantageous 2026 draft position at 31 than he did in the 2025 draft at three.
The Patiots 2 top two needs are edge and offensive line
The Patriots' dreadful 2025 record in surrendering sacks makes the offensive line a primary 2026 offseason need. The other most glaring weakness is at the edge. That's where Landry and his compatriots come into the picture. Landry had a solid but injury-riddled 2025. He racked up 8.5 sacks, but he was hampered by a knee injury for much of the season and postseason.
ESPN analyst Mike Reiss commented on Landry's 2026 outlook.
"Landry, who never seemed to be the same after injuring his knee Week 6 at New Orleans, hinted at offseason surgery. His $11 million base salary is guaranteed for 2026, which will be his ninth in the NFL. 'I'm going to get my knee right, and we're going to get right back to it,' he said."
Reiss is right that Landry never recovered his pass-rush burst after Week 6. The team felt the loss, and no one adequately filled in. His primary replacement, Anfernee Jennings, has been a third-round bust. He wound up with a mere two sacks in 2025 and has only 7.5 in his five years of play. He'll be paid $4.8M but has only a $1M dead cap hit. He should be released.
On the other side of Landry was the emerging pass-rusher, K'Lavon Chaisson. He notched 7.5 sacks in the regular season along with two passes defended, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He also contributed three sacks and a forced fumble in the playoffs. He had a solid season, and he's a good complementary pass-rusher, but he's not the top sack producer Vrabel needs.
MIke Vrabel has to improve his pass rush
Coach Vrabel has an imperative to increase sack production this offseason. The sack differential was a major contributor to the Super Bowl loss to Seattle. Overall, the defense played well, but they failed to get the sacks they needed and settled for just one. Conversely, the Patriots' offensive line surrendered six. That discrepancy was costly, contributing to the loss.
The Patriots need Landry to be healthy in 2026. If so, he can easily be penciled in for 10 sacks. But his health is a question. That puts even more pressure on Vrabel. The other edge, K'lavon Chaisson, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. With his production, he'll make some cash this offseason.
If Vrabel pays Chaisson, he'll only have to look to bringing in maybe two additional pass-rushers. If not, the necessity is really three. He needs to go all out in free agency, the draft, or trades, such as for a top sackman like Maxx Crosby of the Raiders, to fill these holes.
Harold Landry III will hopefully be healthy by summer camp. He's the Patriots' top sack producer. Regardless, the Patriots need to add to the position, and Vrabel should go all out to secure sack-producing edges.
It's a big challenge, but how he addresses it and fixes the O-line will largely determine how the Patriots fare in 2026.