The Patriots are well ahead of schedule under head coach Mike Vrabel, but they need to fill or upgrade multiple spots before avenging last month’s Super Bowl loss, and nowhere is that more evident than edge defender.
Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf called edge an “obvious position of need,” during a press conference at the NFL Combine. This might be best exemplified by pass rush win rate, where New England’s group combined for the lowest mark in the NFL.
Team captain Harold Landry was on pace for a career year before suffering a knee injury in Week 6. While he showed incredible toughness to play most of the season and throughout the Super Bowl, he could require surgery this offseason and turns 30 in June. Wolf said he expects Landry to return, but there’s no guarantee the veteran will regain his trademark explosiveness. That, combined with K’Lavon Chaisson hitting the market, leaves uncertainty at both starting edge spots.
Elijah Ponder showed promise as an underrated rookie, playing all over the front, beating quality tackles, and finding himself around the ball consistently down the stretch. Run-stopper Anfernee Jennings clawed his way from the roster bubble to become a significant role player for the defense, earning game captain honors during the AFC Championship game. While both proved to be quality rotational pieces, the position desperately needs proven starters and an influx of explosiveness.
“Pass rush. Speed and violence. Explosiveness. First-step quickness.” Wolf began when asked what he looks for in edge rushers. “The ability to win in multiple ways. You can’t just be an edge, you know, run-about-a-hoop guy at this level. There are some guys in college that are able to be successful that way, but you need different things in your toolbox. I think the guys that can rush with power are at maybe more of a premium, the guys that are athletic and can rush with power.”
“You have to be able to factor in on the quarterback,” Vrabel added during pressers the next day. “You have to be able to make plays on the football. We know the quarterback is responsible for the most turnovers in football. So, can they affect the quarterback? And then the ability to set the edge, rush and have enough coverage acumen that the few times we ask them to do it, they can do it.”
According to the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed, the Patriots will be eyeing more affordable edge options in free agency. That could take them out of the running for top players like Trey Hendrickson or Jaelan Phillips, and potentially even mid-tier options like Chaisson, Boye Mafe, or Joseph Ossai.
However, you can never say never in the NFL. So, with the team’s criteria in mind, here are 10 players the Patriots could target to fill their edge needs in the new league year.
All stats and contract projections courtesy of PFF.
Height, Weight: 6’4”, 270 lbs
2025 Games Played: 7-17 (7 starts; suffered hip/pelvic injury in Wk 6)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 21.5% (5th among 124 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 1 yr, $21m avg/yr — $17m gtd, $21m total
The Case to Sign
Hendrickson showed he’s still one of the league’s best pass rushers at 30 years old, ranking 6th at his position in pass rush win rate and 7th in pass rush grade (90.0) through the first eight weeks. As a run defender, Hendrickson logged seven stops while missing just one tackle. He also brings proven leadership, having been a multi-time captain for Cincinnati.
The Case to Pass
Hendrickson suffered a hip/pelvic injury in Week 6 that forced him to have season-ending surgery. He also turned 31 in December and would likely be a very expensive one-year band-aid.
Height, Weight: 6’5”, 263 lbs
2025 Games Played: 18-18 (18 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 18.4% (7th among 62 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 1 yr, $15m avg/yr — $12.5m gtd, $15m total
The Case to Sign
Phillips has the highest upside of any edge defender on the market, and he’s one of the few who started every game last season. The former first-rounder ranked in the top 10 among all players in hurries (57, 6th-most) and pass rush win rate (8th), and his 23 run stops were tied with Montez Sweat for the 4th-most at the position. The Patriots also inquired about Phillips when he was traded from the Dolphins to the Eagles in November.
The Case to Pass
Phillips finally caught a break in 2025, but he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in 2024 and a season-ending Achilles injury in 2023. Phillips also notched just five sacks and 11 hits in 18 games, missed the eighth-most run tackles at his position (6), and allowed catches on 10 of 11 targets for 89 yards. Even if the Patriots can live with those concerns, Phillips will likely price himself well out of their range.
Height, Weight: 6’5”, 257 lbs
2025 Games Played: 18-18 (4 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 16.2% (12th among 62 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 4 yrs, $19.25m avg/yr — $40m gtd, $77m total
The Case to Sign
Oweh could be the most well-rounded edge defender in free agency, and he’s trending up at the perfect time. Oweh was disruptive as a rotational player for the Bolts, ranking 3rd at his position in run-stop rate (11.4%) and 12th in pass rush win rate. He also brings excellent versatility, logging at least 100 snaps at outside linebacker and defensive end on each side of the line.
The Case to Pass
Oweh was traded to the Chargers due to his inconsistency as a Raven, so it’s fair to question whether he’ll live up to a lucrative long-term deal. And, like Hendrickson and Phillips, he’ll likely demand too much to be a realistic option for New England.
Height, Weight: 6’4”, 261 lbs
2025 Games Played: 20-20 (4 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 11.3% (37th among 62 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 3 yrs, $16.33m avg/yr — $30m gtd, $49m total
The Case to Sign
Similar to Oweh, Mafe was the third man in a fearsome edge rotation. Mafe isn’t the same caliber of rusher, but he tied for 18th at the position in hurries (40) and excelled on true pass sets, ranking 16th in pass-rush grade (81.2). Mafe was also a productive run defender, ranking 7th among edge defenders with 13 run stops, and he has experience standing up on both sides of the line.
The Case to Pass
Mafe’s best season came in 2023, when he recorded nine sacks, eight hits, and a 13.3% pass rush win rate. He hasn’t reached those heights since, much less proven he can fill the starting role he’ll likely be paid to assume.
Height, Weight: 6’3”, 255 lbs
2025 Games Played: 20-21 (12 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 11.5% (36th among 62 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 3 yrs, $15m avg/yr — $30m gtd, $45m total
The Case to Sign
Chaisson emerged as a durable playmaker for the Patriots’ new-look defense. He forced three fumbles, recorded 12 sacks, and tied with Jared Verse for the most pressures among playoff defenders (20). Chaisson also notched seven tackles for loss or no gain against the run, and his nose for the ball led to 14 coverage stops. The veteran brings added value as a special teamer, spending 66 snaps on the field goal/extra point block team and 34 on punt coverage.
The Case to Pass
Chaisson is an opportunistic rusher, but he lacks the elite burst and bend to dominate tackles one-on-one, and he wasn’t very effective in limited opportunities as an interior rusher. Chaisson was also a boom-or-bust run defender who leaned more toward bust last season, earning the second-lowest run defense grade (43.8) and missing the second-most run tackles at his position (12).
Height, Weight: 6’3”, 281 lbs
2025 Games Played: 18-18 (17 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 12.9% (28th among 62 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 2 yrs, $10m avg/yr — $13m gtd, $20m total
The Case to Sign
Jones is one of the edge market’s few proven starters. The veteran tied for the ninth-most quarterback hits at the position last season (15) — including the second-most on true pass sets (13) — and was a reliable tackler in run defense, missing just two tackles to nine stops. Jones mostly lined up outside linebacker to either side, but he also spent time at left defensive end and defensive tackle. The Patriots showed interest in Jones before he was traded from the Titans to the Ravens, though talks “were never serious.”
The Case to Pass
While Jones is a competitive and versatile pass rusher on tape, he was okay at best by most metrics, and he turned 29 in December. Jones also wasn’t a very unproductive run defender, and he gave up six catches, 93 yards, and a touchdown on seven targets.
Height, Weight: 6’3”, 256 lbs
2025 Games Played: 17-17 (3 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 16.8% (t-12th among 124 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 2 yrs, $8m avg/yr — $10.5m gtd, $16m total
The Case to Sign
Ebiketie is an underrated situational rusher. Despite being fourth on the Falcons’ depth chart, Ebiketie tied for 12th among edge defenders in pass rush win rate and earned a career-high 74.9 pass rush grade. He also missed just one tackle on 179 run defense snaps and allowed 0 yards on two targets.
The Case to Pass
Ebiketie didn’t reach the quarterback often, recording just four hits and a career-low two sacks. His lack of special teams experience is also worrisome for a projected rotational player. Ebiketie recorded 106 special teams snaps in his career, including 10 in 2026.
Height, Weight: 6’2”, 250 lbs
2025 Games Played: 17-17 (3 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 14.4% (t-23rd among 62 qualified ED, Maxx Crosby)
Contract Projection: 2 yrs, $18.75m avg/yr — $25m gtd, $37.5m total
The Case to Sign
Koonce’s pass rush win rate was tied with teammate Maxx Crosby last season, showing what a force he can be in an admittedly smaller sample size. Koonce’s production as a run defender last season was comparable to Chaisson’s, but Koonce missed just 5.3% of tackles versus his former teammate’s 34.8% miss rate. Koonce played under current Patriots coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was the head coach in Las Vegas from 2022 to mid-2023. Koonce also has extensive experience on the field goal/extra point block and punt coverage teams.
The Case to Pass
Despite turning 28 in June, Koonce has just one year of high-quality production and has never been a full-time starter. The veteran took a step back after missing all of 2024, so there’s no guarantee he’ll return to his 2023 form.
Height, Weight: 6’4”, 263 lbs
2025 Games Played: 14-17 (9 starts; suffered knee injury in Wk 14)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 10.7 (t-44th among 62 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: 1 yr, $7m avg/yr — $3.5m gtd, $7m total
The Case to Sign
Ossai will be one of the youngest free agents on the market, and he’s started a dozen games over the past two seasons. Ossai is at his best against the run, ranking top-15 in run defense grade (70.7, 14th) among edge defenders. He led the Bengals with a career-high 43 pressures, and he forced a pair of fumbles between Weeks 13 and 14. Ossai also brings impressive versatility, having spent significant snaps up at outside linebacker, defensive end, and defensive tackle on both sides of the line.
The Case to Pass
Ossai isn’t a standout pass rusher, making him more of a rotational player than a true every-down starter in an ideal situation. He also has limited special teams experience outside of blocking field goals and extra points.
Height, Weight: 6’4”, 258 lbs
2025 Games Played: 18-18 (4 starts)
Pass Rush Win Rate: 10.5% (t-74th among 124 qualified ED)
Contract Projection: N/A
The Case to Sign
Enagbare was a rotational player for the Packers, but he led their edge defenders in snaps after Micah Parsons tore his ACL in Week 15. Enagbare was an elite run-stopper, ranking fourth at his position in run stop rate (8.4%) last season and leading Green Bay with 18 run stops. He has strong hands to knock back or disengage from blockers, offers inside-out versatility, and brings extensive special teams experience. Enagbare also has room to grow at just 26 years old.
The Case to Pass
Enagbare has yet to prove he can be a consistent pass-rush threat, ranking near the bottom of the league in pass rush win rate last season, and he’s only gone above a 10% win rate twice in his career. His range and change of direction in coverage are also limited.
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