Patriots' $1 million experiment has officially become the NFL's biggest steal

Despite two defensive linemen, Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, carrying a combined cap hit of $45.6 million this season, the Patriots don't rank fourth in points allowed because of them.

In fact, you could easily argue the reigning AFC champions should be getting much more for their money from their well-compensated defensive tackle duo.

Luckily for the Patriots, they have the best bargain in the NFL wreaking havoc off the edge.

After all, when you consider how little the Patriots are paying Elijah Ponder and how much production they're getting out of him, it's impossible to overlook the ridiculous bang-for-your-buck factor that's helped balance out some of the team's expensive investments elsewhere.

Elijah Ponder has made the year-two leap at exactly the right time

Even though Ponder put up respectable numbers as a rotational piece during his rookie season, elevating him to a starting role raised obvious questions about whether he could take his game to another level.

Over five weeks, the former undrafted free agent has silenced any doubts about his ability to be a full-time player.

In Sunday's 45-17 win against the Las Vegas Raiders, Ponder was by far the most impactful pass rusher, which is quite a statement considering Maxx Crosby (who has a $35.6 million cap hit) was also on the field.

After taking down Josh Allen the previous week, the 6-foot-3, 261-pound outside linebacker made Kirk Cousins's life miserable in the blowout victory. Ponder beat the Raiders' left tackle, Kolton Miller, twice, using his impressive bend and closing speed to record two sacks, including a key strip-sack right before halftime.

The California native has already surpassed last year's total of four sacks in a fraction of the time, and it's not a stretch to say he's been one of the league's top pass rushers through the first month and a half of the season.

With 4.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries (including one he returned for a touchdown), Ponder has been the Patriots' best playmaker on a defense that features five players with a cap hit of at least $11 million this season.

Dig a little deeper and you'll realize just how big of a bargain he truly is.

With a $1 million base salary, Ponder actually makes less than Julian Ashby and Andy Borregales.

Let that sink in for a second.

The Patriots are paying one of the NFL's most productive pass rushers slightly less than their long snapper and kicker. No disrespect to Ashby or Borregales, but neither measures up to Ponder in terms of down-to-down impact.

Ponder is setting himself up for a massive payday

With the NFL's top pass rushers earning more than $40 million per year (Houston's Will Anderson leads the way at $50 million annually), it's clear New England struck gold by taking a flyer on the former Cal Poly standout.

However, if Ponder maintains this pace, he won't be the NFL's biggest bargain for long.

One advantage of entering the league as an undrafted free agent is that you aren't locked into a lengthy contract like early-round picks.

With just one year left on the three-year, $2.98 million contract he signed after the 2025 NFL Draft, Ponder has a prime opportunity to put himself in the driver's seat for a life-changing extension.

At his current pace, the talented edge defender should easily finish with double-digit sacks. That alone would increase his value tremendously heading into the offseason. Add in the fact that the team will likely move on from veteran Harold Landry, and the door should be open for Ponder to become the team's No. 1 pass rusher.

Of course, it'll be interesting to see how the front office handles his contract situation given how much the team has invested in the Williams-Barmore duo. However, if it were up to me, I'd much rather deal Barmore during the offseason, free up some cap space, and sign Ponder to an extension that'll make him the face of the front seven.

Obviously, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

But if the first third of the season is any indication of what lies ahead, you can expect to see more Elijah Ponder jerseys in the Gillette Stadium stands for years to come.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow