Among the most concerning groups on the roster heading into the 2026 season, the Patriots had what appeared to be a weak pass-rushing unit after they didn't re-sign K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency and brought in Dre'Mont Jones to replace him.
They also had the misfortune of losing Harold Landry, the defender Mike Vrabel wanted as their top pass rusher, to an injury that kept him away from the team for nearly the entire offseason. He started the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, and not much has been said about him since.
Because the group of young, unproven players was put in a situation they weren't expected to handle, they have flourished in many ways, but not enough to meet the defense's needs. They certainly deserve credit, with Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder leading the way, but it's clear the Patriots need more help.
The suggestion has been that they bring in free agents or make a trade, especially with Landry's return seemingly up in the air. That was until Vrabel finally spoke to reporters on Wednesday, providing the first update in several weeks ahead of their big matchup against the Bills on Sunday.
The Patriots will still have to wait to get Harold Landry back in the starting lineup
Because the Patriots are dealing with so many injuries heading into Week 4, having just placed their 17th player on injured reserve, it wasn't surprising to see reporters ask for an update on Landry, whom the defense could really use right now.
Although the team hasn't activated him to return just yet, reporters asked if he was ready to start practicing again. Unfortunately, Vrabel said that won't happen, but he is putting in the work to get back.
So while it was good to finally hear an update on him, it's far from what anyone wants to hear at this point, given how much his production is needed for the defense right now.
This only reinforces that they should explore free-agent options to fill the void, especially since Vrabel didn't provide a timetable for Landry's return. If that's still unclear, they likely don't have time to wait until he's back on the field to address their pass-rushing issue.
Whether they decide to do that is unclear, but if they want to keep the team in games as their offense continues to struggle, they'll need to upgrade their defense as soon as possible.
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