Our Free Agency Fits series continues today with perhaps the greatest position of need for the New England Patriots entering the 2026 offseason: edge rusher.

In 2025, New England enjoyed a spark early in the pass rush from the acquisition of Harold Landry, and found value late in the season with K’Lavon Chaisson. With Chaisson set to hit the market as an unrestricted free agent, the Patriots will have more groundwork to lay as they look to improve on a rush that ranked just 24th in pressure rate last year.

The edge rusher market is a robust one, with several options at each pricing tier and depth to be found through Days 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft. But the top option has already come off the board.

Las Vegas Raiders edge Maxx Crosby was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks on Friday evening in a blockbuster trade that lands the star rusher elsewhere in the AFC.

The Patriots were reportedly interested in acquiring Crosby, but the ransom paid by Baltimore was ultimately too high a cost for a team focused on building a contender with youth and contract control.

So, who might the Patriots now turn to as an alternative to breathe new life into the pass rush? Let’s dive in.

Projected AAV: $21 million/year (1 year, $21 million total with $17 million guaranteed)

Trey Hendrickson (31) is set to hit the open market, and after a season cut short by injuries in 2025, he still ranks as the top free agent regardless of position.

While his projected average annual value sits at $21 million, that number will likely exceed $30 million per year when free agency begins, given the going rate of elite edge defenders across the league.

The Crosby trade return will put even more pressure on teams to pay a hefty price for Hendrickson, who finished with 14+ sacks in four of five seasons prior to 2025 — highlighted by a 20-sack performance in 2023 and 18 sacks in 2024.

Hendrickson has graded out with a 90.0+ pass rushing grade on PFF in each of the previous four seasons, and would provide an immediate boost in production and credibility to a group that struggled to sustain consistent footing in New England last year.

From 2021–2024, Hendrickson averaged generating 74.8 quarterback pressures per season, and would create a world of problems when paired with interior pass rushers Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, who both finished top-five in the NFL in quarterback pressures by defensive tackles last season.

If the Patriots choose to take a big swing on an edge rusher in free agency, there are none more high-profile than Hendrickson. But with several other areas of need on the roster — and a litany of options in free agency and the draft — it may be hard to justify spending $30+ million per year on an older, short-term acquisition.

Still, it’s just money, and the improvement Hendrickson would bring to the defensive front is real. We’ll see if that makes him worthy of spending a king’s ransom when the market opens.

Projected AAV: $19.25 million/year (4 years, $77 million total with $40 million guaranteed)

For those looking for a younger edge threat with the potential for great upside, look no further than Odafe Oweh (27).

Oweh experienced a career year in 2025 after a midseason trade sent him from the Baltimore Ravens to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick. He finished the regular season with eight sacks and 47 pressures, then showcased his skills at Gillette Stadium with three sacks (two strip sacks) in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs in Los Angeles’ loss to New England.

In five career years, Oweh has averaged 46.8 quarterback pressures per season, with a combined 18 sacks over the last two regular seasons. He brings a blend of speed and power that’s becoming the staple of elite pass rushers around the league, and at just 27 years old, is still scratching the surface of his potential.

His production in 2024 and 2025 will make him eligible for a contract near the top of the market, but he likely won’t command the same figures as a player like Hendrickson. At a significantly younger age, however, he’ll have plenty of other suitors — and that could push his price even higher than projections.

If that number climbs, New England may opt to look elsewhere for similar upside at a more manageable cost.

Projected AAV: $16.33 million/year (3 years, $49 million total with $30 million guaranteed)

Boye Mafe (27) hits free agency after spending his first four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, where he showed flashes of greatness but lacked consistent production.

In 2022, Mafe starred at the NFL Scouting Combine as an athletic freak, ranking second in his class in overall athletic score (91) with a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, 1.59-second 10-yard split, 38” vertical jump, and 10’5” broad jump. Those metrics helped him climb to the top of the second round on draft night — but they haven’t consistently translated to the field.

Mafe recorded a career-best nine sacks and 58 pressures in 2023, but his numbers have declined since: six sacks and 47 pressures in 2024, then two sacks and 40 pressures in 2025.

Seattle invested in other players to boost production from their edge rushers, with DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu leading the group in pressure numbers this past season. That’ll lead to Mafe looking for a new home in 2026, and with an impressive athletic profile, he could be a fit in Mike Vrabel’s scheme.

At 6’4”, 261 lbs., Mafe brings a blend of size and athleticism that New England currently doesn’t have much of on the roster. And with many of the speed rushers in this draft class trending smaller, Mafe’s profile is a bit different.

If the Patriots can get a deal done in the mid-level range, he’d bring legitimate upside to the room for the next two-to-three years.

Projected AAV: $15 million/year (1 year, $15 million total with $12.5 million guaranteed)

New England has had the opportunity to watch Jaelan Phillips (26) closely since he entered the league as a first-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2021.

Early in his career, Phillips looked like a game-changer — finishing his rookie campaign with 10 sacks and 39 pressures, then following that up with nine sacks and 70 pressures in 2022. Since then, availability has been the biggest concern.

After battling injuries that cut multiple seasons short, Phillips was traded from the Dolphins to the Philadelphia Eagles at the deadline in 2025. The move proved fruitful: he bounced back with five sacks and a career-best 73 pressures last season.

When Phillips was made available by Miami, the Patriots were reportedly among the interested teams, but a trade within the division was always unlikely. Now that he can sign freely, New England will have another shot to acquire him — without giving up draft capital.

Phillips is an intriguing fit, but his injury history and price tag could be deterrents depending on how the market plays out. If a deal lands closer to his projected value, he becomes a very realistic option to add into the rotation.

Projected AAV: $8 million/year (2 years, $16 million total with $10.5 million guaranteed)

If New England is looking to add to the edge room with a similar approach to 2025, they’ll be shopping for budget-friendly deals with players who still have room to grow. That’s where Arnold Ebiketie (27) fits.

Similar to Chaisson last offseason, Ebiketie enters free agency following a 2025 campaign marked by production on limited opportunities. The Falcons drafted two edge rushers in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft — Jalon Walker (15th overall) and James Pearce Jr. (26th overall) — which capped Ebiketie’s snaps in the rotation.

With just 384 snaps played last season, Ebiketie posted a 16.8% pass rush win rate with 25 pressures and two sacks. His workload was larger in the three seasons prior, and he averaged 31.7 pressures, 5.3 sacks, and 19.7 hurries during that stretch.

An expanded role could help Ebiketie outperform his projected contract value — and, importantly, he’d keep the Patriots flexible at the position heading into the draft.

New England could add a player in Ebiketie’s range and still invest premium draft capital on Day 1 or Day 2 in a long-term answer, without stacking multiple expensive deals into one room.

Current Contract: $14.75 million/year (1 year, $14.75 million total — team fifth year option)

No, Maxx Crosby isn’t available via trade anymore — but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other deals to be had in that market.

Kayvon Thibodeaux (25) is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the former fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has underwhelmed through the first four seasons of his career. Stuck in a rotational role behind Brian Burns and 2025 third overall pick Abdul Carter — and with a new head coach in John Harbaugh entering the building — the New York Giants appear willing to entertain moving on.

Thibodeaux flashed in a full-time role in 2023 (13 sacks, 43 pressures), but his production in 2022 (four sacks, 40 pressures), 2024 (six sacks, 38 pressures), and 2025 (three sacks, 32 pressures) leaves more to be desired. With an extension looming, New York may not receive the premium return they’d hoped for when they picked him in the top five.

A player with Thibodeaux’s pedigree could still fetch a Day 2 pick, but that’s a fraction of the price Crosby would’ve commanded — and an extension wouldn’t be as punitive, either. For New England, the appeal is straightforward: Thibodeaux would arrive in Foxboro with a real opportunity to compete for a higher snap share, regardless of what the Patriots decide to do at the position in free agency or the draft.

Similar to the K’Lavon Chaisson signing last year, the bet would be that Thibodeaux’s best football is still ahead of him — but the cost of entry is higher than most “value add” paths, especially if New England wants to keep him beyond 2026.

That may be why we haven’t heard the Patriots connected to him to this point. With Crosby off the board, Thibodeaux remains the biggest remaining swing if New England wants to explore the trade market for an edge rusher.

These are just five of several legitimate options the Patriots could weigh to improve the pass rush. At nearly every age range and price point, there’s a candidate that makes sense — and the depth in the draft gives New England even more flexibility.

Veteran options — including Hendrickson, Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, Bradley Chubb, Cameron Jordan, and Dre’Mont Jones — would provide a short-term boost at a higher annual value. Younger options — including Oweh, Phillips, Mafe, Ebiketie, Kwity Paye, and the Patriots’ own K’Lavon Chaisson — vary by price and come with different blends of production and projection.

Last offseason, New England leaned into projection along the defensive front and got paid back with breakout years from Chaisson and interior defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga on one-year “prove it” deals. Now that their championship window is open, it’ll be worth monitoring if that strategy changes.

Who would you like to see the Patriots add to revitalize their pass rush? Should they spend big on a free agent, or attack value in the NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments below.

Now that we’ve shored up the pass rush, it’s time to return to the offensive side of the football.

In our first installment of Free Agency Fits, we looked at several options to pair with Drake Maye at wide receiver. Tomorrow, we’ll analyze options that will give Maye more time to connect with any of those players — the offensive line.

New England has already started work on fortifying the front with moves that give us a clearer picture of their long-term vision. Who might they add in free agency to solidify their starting lineup? We’ll take a closer look next time.

Stay tuned for all of that and much more to come right here on Patriots Roundtable.

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