Despite landing edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones at the onset of free agency, the New England Patriots could still use some additional reinforcements to their pass rush going into next season.
While the team is widely expected to pick up some help at this spot during the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, if the front office decides to use their earlier picks first to address needs elsewhere, pursuing veteran free-agent Jihad Ward would also be an inexpensive way to bring in some experienced depth.
Why considering Jihad Ward makes sense for the Patriots
Ward had one of the more productive seasons of his decade-long NFL career in 2025 for the Tennessee Titans, as he tied personal bests in sacks (five) and pass deflections (four), while setting a new high mark in quarterback hits (22) and posting his third greatest tackle total (31).
The 2016 44th overall pick played all 17 games, including 12 starts (second most of his career), and generated 47 pressures on the year, which ranked 30th out of 115 qualifying edge defenders.
New England finished just 22nd in the league last season in sacks per game, and although the aforementioned inking of Jones helps offset the loss of last season's playoff sack leader, K'Lavon Chaisson, who departed for the Washington Commanders, the team needs to make further improvements in this department.
The Patriots could bolster their pass rush unit by taking a chance on Ward, who holds value as a role player in third-down situations. This move would particularly make sense in the event New England waits until Day 2 or 3 of the draft to select an edge rusher, as he'd help bridge the gap through the immediate future as the team develops an incoming rookie.
What it would cost for New England to sign Ward
The last four contracts Ward has inked (all one-season pacts) each earned him fewer than $2 million, and he likely won't command much more this time around.
Spotrac estimates his market value will net him a one-year, $4.1 million deal, but Ward still being unsigned at this point in the free agency process makes it seem unlikely he'll get that much ahead of his age-32 season.
Should Ward's ultimate price tag fall into the $2 million range, the Patriots should mull the low-risk, high-reward prospect of adding him. Coming off a career campaign, the 6'5", 285 lbs pass rusher hasn't missed a game since 2020 and may end up being a steal on short money for New England.
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