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Potential Impact of Former Pro Bowler for the New England Patriots

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Harold Landry Patriots

Harold Landry and the New England Patriots have agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million contract, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The move will give New England a sure-fire pass rusher for the next three seasons. For Landry, he will reunite with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, who coached him for over six seasons in Tennessee.

Potential Impact of Harold Landry for the Patriots

Production and Experience

The Patriots posted a league-worst 28 sacks in 2024 and the individual sack production hasn’t been any better for New England. They haven’t had a player record double-digit sacks since Matthew Judon accumulated 15.5 in 2022. Landry would have led the Patriots in several categories last season. His nine sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles in 17 starts could have significantly improved the Patriots defense.

Since being drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Landry has been productive, consistent, and reliable. Excluding the full season he lost in 2022 due to a torn ACL, Landry has missed just one game in his career. In 98 games, he has totaled 50.5 sacks, 102 quarterback hits, and 397 combined tackles. He consistently ranks as one of the best tacklers at his position according to Pro Football Focus. In five of his six seasons, Landry has finished within the top ten in solo tackles and assists among all qualified edge rushers.

New England will roster two of the best run defenders in the NFL — Anfernee Jennings and now, Landry. This signing will take pressure off 2023 second-round pick Keion White who is looking to build off a five-sack sophomore season. With the likely departure of Deatrich Wise Jr. and Davon Godchaux, Landry will bring the team a much-needed veteran presence along the defensive line with the ability to play every down.

Leadership and Familiarity on Defense

The familiarity Landry has with an overhauled Patriots coaching staff cannot be understated. Mike Vrabel was responsible for drafting him and Terrell Williams was the defensive line coach in charge of his development. Landry became a pro bowler in 2021 under their guidance. Now, he will likely be a team captain and leader for the Patriots defense next season.

There has been a sense of poor culture and a lack of leadership in New England in recent years. But with the acquisition of Landry, a player familiar with a locker room run by Vrabel, that may change in the near future. The Patriots newest acquisition has openly expressed how prepared, well-coached and in-tune the locker room can be under the leadership of Vrabel.

With the installation of a new defensive scheme, it will be important for the Patriots to have players like Landry that are already familiar with the brand and style of defense Vrabel likes to play. In Tennessee, Landry played a very hybrid position. He would align as both a standup linebacker and a traditional defensive end with his hand in the dirt. Ideally, New England will deploy him in a similar role and hope to recreate his 2021 Pro Bowl season.

Dynamic Draft Approach

The upcoming 2025 NFL Draft is incredibly important to the rebuild going on in New England. While the signing of Landry doesn’t change the Patriots plans with the fourth overall pick, it will allow them to be more dynamic in a draft class full of quality edge rushers.

Rather than spending a top 50 selection on an outside linebacker, the Patriots can now look to draft and develop a pass rusher with one of their late day two or early day three picks. New England is set to make two selections in the third round, one in the fourth and fifth rounds before closing out their draft with three picks in the final round of the draft.

There are many prospects at the edge rusher position that Elliot Wolf and the Patriots front office should target with these picks. For speed and bend, they should target Josiah Stewart out of the University of Michigan. In terms of production and ceiling, David Walker had quite a career at the University of Central Arkansas. If they are looking for another run-stopper, Barryn Sorrell did just that in his time with the Longhorns.

New England will likely have a young, inexperienced, and unproven defense next season. The impact Harold Landry is set to have on the Patriots defense is immeasurable and after reuniting with familiar faces, there could be another Pro Bowl in the near future for the seven-year veteran.

Main Image: Steve Roberts – USA Today Sports

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