The New England Patriots were refreshingly active during the initial surge of 2026 free agency, landing potential veteran upgrades at guard, wide receiver, safety, and edge defender. If head coach Mike Vrabel has proven anything over his first year-plus on the job, it’s that he won’t shy away from making tough offseason decisions relative to the roster.
The Patriots parted ways with a pair of major 2025 contributors, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Both players were replaced during the NFL’s legal tampering window, and while it’s easy to see the value-add in former Packers wideout Romeo Doubs, New England’s work on the edge leaves more to be desired.
The decision to pass on a new contract for Chaisson was a mild surprise. He piled up an elite 74 quarterback pressures in 2025, including 20 in the playoffs, per Pro Football Focus, and wound up settling for a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders for $10.3 million in guarantees.
That might’ve been slightly beyond the Patriots’ preferred price for Chaisson, who was a liability at times against the run. They pivoted to the more stout Dre’Mont Jones. As a converted defensive tackle, Jones should give Vrabel’s defense more of a true edge-setter opposite Harold Landry III.
New England has more work to do at that position, though, especially after they also released Anfernee Jennings, a valuable depth defender who could hold his own as a starter. Jones turned 29 in January, and Landry struggled with a knee injury during the tail end of the 2025 season. Getting younger pass rushers in the pipeline should be a priority going forward.
The good news? The 2026 NFL Draft is expected to be rich with edge defenders, and the Patriots’ calculated start to the new league year could lead to them pouncing on that value with the 31st overall pick.
Patriots could eye massive defensive end Zion Young in first round
If the move for Jones is any indication, Vrabel is prioritizing more physical, three-down options on the edge than your more prototypical speed rusher. Missouri’s Zion Young fits that mold, and should be available for the Patriots late on Day 1.
In Phil Perry’s latest mock draft for NBC Sports Boston, he had the Patriots passing on the more traditional outside linebacker, Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, for Young, the hulking 6-foot-5, 262-pound defensive end out of Missouri.
“Young might not be the most polished pass-rusher in the class, but he generated 6.5 sacks and 52 pressures for the Tigers last season, per Pro Football Focus,” Perry wrote. “He was also one of the best players at this year's Senior Bowl, and at 22 years old still has loads of room to develop.”
Young has a couple of predraft concerns, including a DWI arrest in December that the team would have to weigh. But he feels like an ideal fit for Vrabel’s defense at arguably the team’s No. 1 position of need.
Perhaps more impressive than his 52 QB pressures was Young’s 31 run-stuffs and pair of forced fumbles. After getting shredded on the ground by the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, prospects who can both affect the passer and help build a wall in the run game should appeal most to the Patriots.
It sure feels like Young could be that guy.