The former Arizona Cardinals linebacker could become key to the Patriots' special teams in 2026.
The New England Patriots announced on Thursday afternoon that they have signed linebacker Jesse Luketa to a one-year deal.
Luketa's journey to this point began when he was drafted in the seventh round by the Arizona Cardinals in 2022 and then finished the back half of the 2025 season on the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad. He did not play a single game this past season.
The newly signed Patriot became a free agent when it was announced that the Rams would not be signing him to a futures contract.
During his time with the Cardinals, Luketa played in 31 games, totaled 35 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble, and was on the field for a total of 367 defensive snaps.
Luketa is Canadian-born, with Edmonton, Alberta, as his birthplace, but he grew up in Ottawa, Ontario. He played college ball at Penn State and was also drafted by the CFL but never officially signed with any team in his home country.
Luketa is a defensive player through and through, but his stats across college and the pros don't necessarily align with the Patriots' core needs. However, one reason the Patriots might want to pick him up in free agency is his special teams work.
In college, Luketa only recorded one half-sack, as he moved from linebacker to edge. He had a career-low 11.1% missed-tackle rate in 2025. However, he could still be of great use for the Patriots on special teams.
Luketa logged a lot of special-teams snaps for the Cardinals, playing 544 snaps over three seasons. The Patriots value their special teams units more than any other team in the NFL. There is a chance Luketa could become a pivotal part of it in 2026.
There may be room for competition in the linebacker group in New England this season. At the moment, Harold Landry III seems to be returning to the team for the second year of a three-year deal in 2026. We still await word on whether the Patriots will cut a deal to keep K'Lavon Chaisson and Anfernee Jennings around.
The chances of Luketa making a roster spot in 2026 are not slim, but it could be an uphill battle.
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