Regardless of all the easy-schedule narratives, the New England Patriots were and remain a Super Bowl-caliber team. As such, they can't afford to rest on their laurels while everybody else aims for their AFC crown.
The Patriots will face a tougher road back to the biggest game of the season. And while they're pretty solid on both sides of the ball, especially after the NFL Draft, their pass rush could still use some help after K'Lavon Chaisson's departure in free agency.
Considering that, Aaliyan Mohammed of NESN made a case for the Patriots to sign Von Miller. He may no longer be at the peak of his powers, but he might be a solid complement to rookie Gabe Jacas or veteran Dre'Mont Jones.
"Miller would be a cheap addition for the Patriots, and he would not take significant playing time away from Harold Landry, Jacas or Jones. He would also be great insurance against an injury," Mohammed argued.
Even at this stage, Von Miller might be exactly what the 2026 Patriots need
Miller is no longer the game-wrecking quarterback hunter he was during his Denver Broncos heyday. Nevertheless, he proved last season that he can still be extremely impactful as a rotational piece, dominating despite playing just under 40 percent of the defensive snaps for the Washington Commanders.
Miller played in all 17 games, making three starts and logging 26 total tackles (16 solo), 15 QB hits, nine sacks (his most since 2021), and six tackles for loss. He also had 36 pressures, including 22 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Patriots wouldn't need Miller to be "the guy." The hope is that Jacas will quickly develop into the team's next franchise defender.
Spotrac projects Miller's next contract to be for just one year and $5.8 million, a bargain for a future first-ballot Hall of Famer — who might be the perfect on-field mentor for Jacas. According to Over the Cap, the Patriots have $35.7 million in available cap space, so they can definitely afford to give Miller, 37, a potential swan song deal.
The Patriots ranked 19th in pass-rush win rate last season (35 percent), per ESPN, and that was with Chaisson in the mix. Now, with a big target on their backs and teams looking to prove that last year's success was a fluke, they have to give Mike Vrabel the weapons he needs to silence the naysayers.
Even if Miller can't replicate last year's impressive numbers and flirt with double-digit sacks again in 2026, his nine sacks would have led the Patriots last season, as only Harold Landry (8.5) and Chaisson (7.5) logged more than five in 2025. The Patriots would have nothing to lose and everything to gain with a move like this.
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