For much of the 2025 season, the Patriots were fortunate to avoid the injury bug, particularly to star players, which ultimately benefited their goal of reaching the Super Bowl. They did have a few guys go down that impacted their production, including linebacker Harold Landry III, who was signed to be their main pass rusher on defense.
When the veteran injured his knee early in the season, there was a noticeable slip in performance from not only Landry but also the rest of the defensive line. He mostly played through it, missing only two regular-season games, and it was revealed he underwent surgery this offseason to get back on track.
It has prompted many to suggest the Patriots go for more linebacker help in the draft, especially since they didn't prioritize the position in free agency, given the many questions surrounding Landry's future.
But the latest update offers strong optimism that he will be ready to go much sooner than anyone might have projected, and that's a great sign for the future of the defense and their goal of replicating the success they had last season.
Harold Landry III is making a lot of progress in his rehab after having surgery this offseason
Mike Reiss of ESPN reported that Landry has been spending every day at the team facility over the past few weeks, and there is a belief he will attend voluntary workouts later this month.
"The Patriots' voluntary offseason program begins April 20, but veteran edge rusher Harold Landry III has already been showing up at the team facility every day in recent weeks. Landry's production dropped off notably after a knee injury in Week 6 last season, with Vrabel sharing his belief that Landry can bounce back in his 10th NFL season.
"I think anybody that watched tape could see Harold before hurting his knee, and then after," he said, adding Landry is "going through the rehab process" and "works his tail off to get back."
There is clearly a sense of eagerness and excitement coming from Landry and many of his teammates, well ahead of the 2026 season, and it's hard to blame them. It's particularly good to hear that the linebacker is already back to work, and hopefully, he will be at his best once the season gets going.
The defense needs him, as he proved to be a solid addition by recording a team-high 8.5 sacks in 2025, and he could build upon that in Year 2.
There's a good chance he will still be considered their No. 1 pass rusher, depending on how the draft goes, and they'll need Landry to be at his best for that not to become a significant issue down the line. He showed he can fill that role; we just need to see it more consistently, ideally with no more missed games.