The Patriots' defense is expected to remain a top unit during the 2026 season, which is a far cry from where they were just two years ago. Their secondary is led by some of the best in the league, most notably Christian Gonzalez and Kevin Byard, but their defensive line is lacking the star power needed to be comfortable facing the top talent on the schedule.
The most concerning group is their edge rushers, particularly since they didn't re-sign K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency earlier this year. He played last season on a prove-it deal and delivered beyond expectations, resulting in a hefty contract from the Commanders that the Patriots were unwilling to match.
That inevitably puts pressure on Harold Landry to replicate the kind of performance he had for a fair amount of last season, along with newcomer Dre'Mont Jones, who is stepping into a bigger role than he's held throughout most of his career.
Yet, it clearly shows there are holes in their pass rush that will become problematic as the season progresses, which should pique the Patriots' interest in addressing it now rather than later, especially when a player like Kyle Van Noy is still unsigned.
On top of that, the immediate and long-term future of rookie Gabe Jacas remains unresolved, and Landry, their leading pass rusher in 2025, was just placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Given the batch of current free agents, a reunion with Van Noy might be the most appealing, particularly since he's coming off an impressive tenure with the Ravens. He could be an immediate boost to the Patriots' defensive line and increase their chances of bringing down the league's most talented quarterbacks.
There is an obvious reunion for the Patriots to consider ahead of the 2026 season
In the three years that Van Noy spent in Baltimore, he put together the best seasons of his career when he recorded 91 combined tackles, 27 for a loss, 39 quarterback hits, 10 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, and 23.5 sacks.
His most impressive of all was 2024, when he notched 12.5 sacks, which was the first time he reached double digits in a season.
Although his 2025 performance didn't live up to that standard, he has still proven to be a quality talent at the position, and his veteran experience could be a significant factor in getting the Patriots' current group to the level they need to be, not to mention his familiarity with the franchise.
Given that he's 35 years old, he won't be a hot commodity, so it shouldn't require a massive contract to get him to return to Foxboro. In fact, Van Noy has already mentioned wanting to play for a contender, and the Patriots are certainly considered just that after reaching the Super Bowl last season.
At this point in the offseason, with training camp starting over the next week across the league, it would be better for remaining free agents to be signed sooner rather than later, and in the case of Van Noy, who better to sign with than a team you've played for twice already?
It makes sense for both parties, especially since there are still questions lingering about Jacas and Landry was just placed on the PUP list. The longer the Patriots wait, the less chance they'll have of signing a talent they could really use, with Van Noy near the top of the list.
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