One of the most frustrating aspects of the Patriots' offseason so far has been the limited action, if any at all, for a handful of starters due to injury, with leading pass rusher Harold Landry at the top of the list.
He has been absent for almost the entire offseason so far, as he underwent surgery earlier in the year to deal with a lingering injury, and with the preseason up and running now, it's far from an ideal situation for the Patriots' defense to be in without one of their presumed captains.
Because the only real addition the team made to their defensive line to rush the quarterback was Dre'Mont Jones, there are still so many questions about how much better they're going to be and if the right upgrades were made. It's kept them linked to the top remaining free agents, like Kyle Van Noy and Jadevon Clowney before he went to the Texans, and with Landry out, those connections will remain open.
With the season nearing, it's becoming crucial for the veteran to return sooner rather than later, if possible, and according to Mike Vrabel, that's the plan, except they're choosing to be more cautious this time around.
Harold Landry is expected to miss more time after the Patriots preseason opener
The head coach shared an update on Landry while speaking to reporters this week, and although it's far from what anyone wants to hear, it might be the best approach for his recovery, given how much he fell off last season.
“Continuing to improve, but again, I don't think we want to rush anything. Harold stays locked in what we're doing in our defense, and just again, want to give him every opportunity that he can to get back and feel good and feel confident before we start his clock and take him off of the PUP list.”
Taking the slow approach is the safest thing to do for a player serving as important a role as Landry, so although it's going to be a bit longer before he returns to the practice field, it might be the best decision for his immediate and long-term future.
The defense can't risk losing him to another injury, especially after K'Lavon Chaisson left in free agency and he racked up the second most sacks during the 2025 season.
A lot of that is going to be put on Dre'Mont Jones' shoulders now, and he could carry more weight if Landry is unable to return promptly before Week 1. The hope, of course, is that won't be the case, but he's already missing a lot of practice, so concerns are valid at this point.
He will have a lot of catching up to do, with the silver lining that he was with the team last year; therefore, he isn't walking into a new situation and doesn't have to get acquainted with a new playbook. That will be a major factor in how easily he gets going, and the Patriots will need it, as he is still projected to be their leading pass rusher.
Add us as a preferred source on Google