The Patriots' 2025 season was impressive yet unexpected, given that most believed it would be another forgettable year of growing pains before eventually becoming competitive again.
So when that's not what happened, and they instead reached the Super Bowl, it was beyond clear they were well ahead of the curve and had built a roster far more capable than anyone was willing to credit them for.
That didn't mean, however, there weren't big holes on the roster to address this offseason, with the pass rush among the most dire.
Unfortunately, the higher-ups in Foxboro didn't seem to have a real sense of urgency to accomplish that, as they let K'Lavon Chaisson walk in free agency, despite recording the second-most sacks last season, and brought in Dre'Mont Jones as his replacement.
On top of that, they selected Gabe Jacas in the second round of this year's draft, who then went on to miss the entire offseason with the team until he finally signed his rookie contract two days into training camp. Although he looks like he could be a force on the field at some point, he's not quite there just yet.
Making matters worse is the announcement that Harold Landry III, last year's sack leader, will start the season on the PUP list, so it would have been wise to sign someone who could fill the void as long as he is out, someone like Kyle Van Noy, who's coming off an impressive tenure with the Ravens.
He spent the entire offseason as an unsigned free agent until this past week, when he visited the Vikings on Tuesday and, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, signed with the team that night.
It might have been the Patriots' last chance at signing a proven player that they're also familiar with who would be an immediate playmaker in Week 1.
The Patriots miss out on one of the best remaining pass rushers ahead of their season opener
Although his age was certainly not ideal for what Mike Vrabel is trying to build with the Patriots' roster, Van Noy has played for the team in two different stints, one of which he helped win two Super Bowls.
His last year in New England, during the 2021 season, was mostly forgettable, but he went on to have a standout tenure in Baltimore, which earned him his first Pro Bowl honors in 2024.
His versatility across the defensive line, along with his talent for taking down opposing quarterbacks, is something the Patriots currently lack. They're counting on rookies and those who haven't been put in a position to be the main performer in that role this year, and while it could turn out to be just fine, there's a higher chance of them needing to bring in a veteran.
Now they won't have Van Noy as an option, despite his saying he would be very interested in returning to New England, and they'll have to look elsewhere to see if any of the other unsigned players are at all intriguing.
Most would point to Joey Bosa, and in theory, that wouldn't be a bad move. However, he has also been away from football all offseason, and his own brother, 49ers' Nick Bosa, claimed he wasn't all that focused on football right now, which couldn't be a clearer sign to stay away.
Whether they do so over the next week before their Super Bowl rematch against the Seahawks is uncertain. But it's fair to say they should seriously consider it.
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