Mike Vrabel was an NFL defensive player and a good one. He played the edge, mainly as a down defensive end but also on his feet. It's a position he's well-familiar with and one that will have a significant impact on his 2025 New England Patriots team.
Edge players are depended upon to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. It's their number one assignment on any NFL defense. If they do it well, the team's defense will likely be solid. If not, you'll have a long season.
The 2024 Patriots' edge position was in shambles after Matt Judon was traded, and the top remaining edge, Joshua Uche, was as well. There was little talent left. Vrabel addressed the position aggressively in the 2025 offseason; he needed to. At least one edge player from 2024 will be on the bubble after the offseason, and the competition for places will be fierce.
Mike Vrabel loaded up on new edge players this offseason
Vrabel looked at the edge position when he took over the Pats and must have shuddered. The only edge to speak of really isn't an edge at all, Keion White. White was misemployed as a stand-up edge by both Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo, and his development was stunted as a result, leaving him an unhappy player.
It's yet to be seen if Vrabel will use White as a down lineman in a gap or not. If he doesn't, he'll fall into he same trap as his two predecessors. Yet, if he recognizes what White can do inside, he'll reap the benefits. Playing alongside a healthy Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, White will excel as a down lineman. As a standup edge, he won't. It will be a litmus test for Vrabel and his defense.
Vrabel upgraded the position by adding three new edge players and re-signing one hybrid linebacker/edge player. He quickly added the underrated and underappreciated sack producer, Harold Landry III. He immediately became the team's best pass rusher by far and best edge. He also added an emerging young edge, K'Lavon Chaisson.
Chaisson broke out at the end of 2024. Last season, he notched five sacks, eight quarterback hits, a forced fumble, an interception, and two passes defended. He's a candidate, along with White, to be the defense's breakout player of the year. Expect him to start with Landry. Vrabel also drafted another underrated pass-rusher, Bradyn Swinson from LSU. Swinson is a big edge rusher who had 8.5 sacks for the LSU Tigers in 2024. He'll get game time in 2025 as a rookie.
Vrabel also matched an offer sheet for restricted free agent emerging linebacker/edge hybrid, Christian Elliss. It was a solid investment. Elliss can play anywhere on the second level or the edge. He's a lock to make the team and make plays. All these additions have placed one veteran player on the roster bubble.
Anfernee Jennings may be on the outside looking in
Former 2021 third-round pick Anfernee Jennings is on the roster bubble. The 6'2", 255-pound Jennings doesn't fit Vrabel's new attacking defense. He has been underwhelming since being drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He's more of an inside guy than a true edge. In his four seasons, he has a paltry 5.5 sacks to go along with 22 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits.
Jennings is a trade candidate, having had a decent 2024 season with 78 total tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass defended, but only 2.5 sacks, despite starting all 16 games. Some teams may feel he can play as an inside backer. If they offer a lower draft pick, Vrabel should take it. The chances he's a mainstay on Vrabel's defense are slim.
The edge position has been almost totally reshaped by Mike Vrabel in 2025. Landry will lead the way. Expect him to notch double-digit sacks, and Chaisson may do the same. Together, they will be a massive upgrade over the non-edge players deployed by Mayo last season. Swinson will also contribute, as will Elliss when he's deployed outside.
Vrabel knows full well that the edge is the key to the entire defense. He'll unquestionably have a top defensive line to collapse the pocket, especially if he uses Keion White there. But he still needs good edge players to clean up and get sacks when they do. It appears he added several upgrades over 2024. But the proof will only be known when the pads come on shortly. Until then, it's all speculation.