A priority position of need throughout the offseason, the New England Patriots entered the 2026 regular season without a major addition on the edge. Preaching confidence in their in-house candidates through training camp, the coaching staff’s plan to improve the pass-rush is already bearing fruit.
When the calendar turned to the new league year in March, edge rusher was the most glaring need for the New England Patriots. As the doldrums of the summer concluded, training camp commenced, and preseason games got under way, that deficiency seemed to carry over into 2026.
But all the while, New England may have already identified a solution — or two — for their pass-rushing woes in the building at Gillette Stadium.
In the 2025 regular season, the Patriots ranked 24rd in the NFL in pressure rate, disrupting opposing quarterbacks in the pocket on just 20.3% of dropbacks. The inefficiencies that the front-four showed, specifically along the edges, was the inception for a postseason schematic shift that saw New England defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr bring additional rushers on over 50% of all defensive snaps.
While successful in their four-game run, that high percentage of blitzes is not sustainable over the course of a 17-game regular season. The Patriots needed change, and didn’t shy away from altering their personnel to accomplish it.
In March, New England allowed K’Lavon Chaisson (27) — the team’s leading sack artist last season with 10.5 (including playoffs) — to sign with the Washington Commanders on a one-year, $11 million dollar contract. That move was paired with the divisive addition of Dre’Mont Jones (29), who recorded a career-best 7.0 sacks in 2025 and signed for three-years, $36.5 million ($12.2 million Average Annual Value, AAV).
Seemingly, the Patriots paid more for an older player with less production, rather than keeping the status-quo with one of their few bright spots along the edge of the defensive line. But New England’s acquisitions — and the questions that were generated alongside them — didn’t end there.
In April’s 2026 NFL Draft, the Patriots traded up with the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round to select former Illinois Fighting Illini edge rusher Gabe Jacas. A former two-time state champion wrestler that accrued 27 sacks and 142 pressures in 50 career collegiate games, Jacas’ toughness and relentlessness were traits that melded well with head coach Mike Vrabel’s “effort and finish” defensive persona, but his transition to life in Foxboro was anything but smooth after draft night.
Jacas’ tumultuous summer began with a prolonged absence from team activities and a contract dispute that spanned into the start of training camp in late July. His offseason surgery and list of potential injuries (shoulder, knee, hamstring and foot) were reportedly the subject of concern for multiple organizations in the pre-draft process, and likely the reason he slid to No. 55 overall for New England.
When Jacas did make his Patriots’ debut on the practice field and in preseason games, the results were underwhelming. Against second and third-string offensive tackles, Jacas registered just two pressures in the preseason, was held without a sack, and was targeted by the opposition on numerous runs and play-action boots that used his over-aggressive tendencies against him — rendering him out-of-position to make plays and removing him from the equation almost entirely.
Without steady preseason contributions from Jacas, Jones not participating in exhibition bouts, and the continued unavailability of Harold Landry III — who began the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list — questions pertaining to the viability of the group persisted through cutdown day. Outside additions were suggested on numerous occasions, but Vrabel & Co. stood pat with what they had in the room, regardless of what others believed.
Then, Week 1 arrived — and New England’s plan at edge rusher began to bear fruit.
Jones suited up for the Patriots’ defense for the first time and immediately asserted himself as the leader of the room. Against the Seattle Seahawks, he accounted for six pressures, three quarterback hits, two hurries, and one sack in 23 pass rushing snaps. His 26.1% pass rush win rate led all New England edge defenders, and his 80.7 overall defensive grade trailed only Christian Gonzalez (87.3), per PFF. On true pass sets, Jones’ win-rate spiked to 44.4% and tied defensive tackle Christian Barmore for the team-lead — all while being double-teamed on 43.5% of his reps.
Jacas also had a breakout performance in his first official action for the Patriots. He registered his first career sack in the second quarter, powering through right tackle Abraham Lucas and turning the corner to finish the play after Jones provided the initial pressure on quarterback Drew Lock. In the third quarter, he recorded a tackle-for-loss on running back Jadarian Price on an outside zone running attempt, using quickness to beat left tackle Charles Cross to the inside B-gap off the snap and bending back outside to corral the ballcarrier before any damage was done.
On just 19 defensive snaps and 11 pass-rush snaps, Jacas’ 77.3 overall defensive grade was the highest of any rookie edge rusher league-wide to open the regular season. It ranked second behind Jones among New England edge rushers. Jacas also provided additional contributions as a core special teamer, playing 20 snaps across four units (kick return, field goal block, punt return, and punt coverage).
Jones and Jacas’ promising performances in the season-opener put the Patriots’ pass-rush plan for 2026 into motion — and in a much greater light than previously expected. The addition of another edge rusher will still come, and projects to add even greater value to the group — but that will be another in-house acquisition.
Last year, Landry exploded in the early part of the regular season with 22 pressures and 6 sacks in his first five games, but his Week 6 knee injury limited him for the remainder of the season, and has subsequently kept him out for at least the first four games of 2026. His production totals suffered in the latter stages of 2025, recording just 2.5 sacks and 27 pressures from Week 7 through Super Bowl LX.
Rather than rushing Landry back, New England has preached patience — and that could pay dividends. Adding a healthy Landry to a rotation featuring a confident and productive Jones, Jacas, and second-year breakout candidate Elijah Ponder would give the Patriots a stable of four edge rushers to swap between — painting a much different picture of depth than many forecasted entering this year’s campaign.
One week into the regular season, positive developments from Jones and Jacas are reasons for optimism in the New England pass-rush moving forward. Now, it’ll be about establishing consistency across multiple showings.
How do you think that Dre’Mont Jones and Gabe Jacas will help improve the performance of the Patriots’ pass-rush in 2026? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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