The edge position underwent significant renovations this offseason for the New England Patriots. A team that ranked 22nd in sacks during the regular season allowed K'Lavon Chaisson to leave in free agency and released Anfernee Jennings, who stepped up in a major way when Harold Landry was limited with an injury late in the season.
The team inked Dre'Mont Jones to a three-year deal, and while he showed promise with 7 sacks last year, it's far from a given that he'll repeat his career-best sack production. Beyond Landry and Jones, the roster features sophomores Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson, 2025 practice squader Amari Gainer, and Jesse Luketa, who has three career sacks.
Ponder's four-sack rookie campaign was a promising one, but expecting him to take such a sudden next step seems foolish. Swinson and Gainer combined have 39 career defensive snaps, and Luketa didn't play a down in 2025. The edge position needs further improvements without a doubt.
Joey Bosa could be the perfect addition for New England
While the draft will be a prime time for New England to make additions to the edge, there are still free agents who could make a difference. Leonard Floyd, Haason Reddick, and Mike Danna have all had legitimate NFL success, but a former Patriots' rival could be the best option on the market.
In a recent article from PFF's Bradley Locker, Joey Bosa is named one of the top-10 unsigned free agents remaining.
The former No. 3 overall pick led the league in forced fumbles last year and has five Pro Bowls to his name, the most recent in 2024. Across the regular season and two playoff games, Bosa recorded an 11.2% pressure rate and notched 5 sacks.
While that sack total isn't close to what he had earlier in his career, he's no doubt capable of being a rotational pass rusher.
Injuries have been a struggle for Bosa. He's played 43 regular games (10.8 per season) over the last four years, recording 19 sacks (0.44 per game). In his first six seasons, he played in 79 games (13.1 per season) and had 58 sacks (0.73 per game).
Regression has hit him over the past half-decade, but if New England can add the 30-year-old with the expectation of him having 5-7 sacks, he'd be a worthy addition.
Bosa would by no means solve the issue New England has on the edge, but he'd certainly bolster the unit. The 280-pounder would join Landry, Jones, Ponder, and potentially, a top-64 draft pick. While that group wouldn't be perfect, it would no doubt be better than they have now. For the right price, adding a veteran QB hunter like Bosa would be a savvy move from Mike Vrabel and Co.