Overlooked free agent star has everything the Patriots need for their defense

It's no secret the New England Patriots need more pass-rush help.

After swapping out K'Lavon Chaisson for Dre'Mont Jones and spending a second-round pick on Gabe Jacas, the reigning AFC champions still have more work to do to fortify a front seven that finished near the bottom of the league with 35 sacks a year ago.

Naturally, that's raised speculation about who could fill that critical void in Foxboro.

Patriots are viewed as a potential landing spot for Joey Bosa, but....

To no surprise, Joey Bosa has been linked to the Patriots, with Sports Illustrated's Karl Rasmussen nominating the veteran edge rusher as a good fit with Mike Vrabel's team.

"With some uncertainty at the position, Bosa could be a valuable addition, whether in a depth role or as a potential starter on the defensive line. Bosa is just one season removed from a Pro Bowl campaign in 2024, and he recorded five sacks, 16 QB hits, and nine tackles for loss last season with the Bills," Rasmussen wrote in a piece published on June 12.

While Bosa has 77 sacks on his resume, that's not the number you should focus on.

Instead, it should be 122—the number of regular-season games he's played since he entered the league as the third overall pick in 2016. While the former Ohio State star has certainly put together a respectable career, it's fair to say he's spent too much time sidelined by injuries.

Just weeks shy of his 31st birthday, the five-time Pro Bowler comes with significant durability concerns and hasn't posted double-digit sacks since 2021.

Although Bosa bounced back with a solid-but-unspectacular campaign with the Buffalo Bills, betting on him to make it through consecutive seasons unscathed is a major risk.

And considering the Patriots already have one veteran edge rusher with durability concerns in Harold Landry, the front office should invest those resources on someone with more consistent production and a better track record of staying healthy.

Leonard Floyd should firmly be on New England's radar ahead of the 2026 season

Instead of banking on the oft-injured Bosa to round out their pass-rush group, the Patriots should have their eyes on the player who went six picks later in the 2016 draft: Leonard Floyd.

Selected ninth overall by the Chicago Bears, the long-limbed outside linebacker never fully materialized as the game-wrecking force many expected him to be coming out of the University of Georgia. However, Floyd found far more success outside of the Windy City, racking up 29 sacks in three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

Patriots fans got a chance to see Floyd's skill set in 2023, when he suited up for the Buffalo Bills. In his lone season in the AFC East, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound edge rusher racked up 10.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, and nine tackles for loss.

Floyd proved capable of finding success in yet another system in 2024, as he totaled 8.5 sacks and 16 QBH in 17 starts for the San Francisco 49ers.

Unfortunately, he took a step back in his first and only season with the Atlanta Falcons, as his numbers dipped to just 3.5 sacks and 11 QB hits in 15 starts.

However, entering his age-34 season, Floyd doesn't come with nearly the same durability concerns as Bosa. He possesses excellent length and speed for the position—both of which could pay dividends for a Patriots team that lacks established depth on the edge outside of Landry (who isn't exactly the most durable player, either).

Rather than hitching their wagon to an injury-prone player like Bosa, why not add Floyd to a front seven that includes the dynamic defensive tackle duo of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, versatile free-agent signee Dre'Mont Jones, and promising second-year pro Elijah Ponder?

Not only would Floyd give defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr a proven pass rusher to deploy, but he would also be a terrific tutor for Jacas, a promising prospect with big-time potential.

As a bonus, Floyd also comes with proven production when it matters most. The veteran has five sacks and eight QBH in nine career playoff games, including a sack in the Rams' 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

With one ring already, Floyd could come to Foxboro and provide valuable big-game experience, steady leadership, and some much-needed sizzle to the pass rush.

And what better chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the second time than to join forces with a franchise that has a clear need for his services and a clear path to a title?

If Eliot Wolf and Co. want to cap off an excellent offseason, passing on Bosa in favor of Floyd is the way to go.

Only time will tell if they agree.

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