The New England Patriots have struck gold in many ways on their way to a 14-3 season. One of their biggest findings, though, was what they’ve received with edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson.
A former first-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020, Chaisson has fulfilled his potential, posting a career high with 7.5 sacks and ranking 18th among all edge defenders with 54 pressures on 400 pass-rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
With his one-year, $3 million contract expiring this spring, Chaisson picked a great time to have a breakout year. But before he cashes in with the Patriots or anyone else, he’ll have to pass a final test in a playoff run that could help him break the bank when the season ends.
Big Playoff Performance Could Help K’Lavon Chaisson Break Bank in FA
Teams can get crazy when they see big sack numbers, and Chaisson has done a great job to tempt them with a breakout year. But the money can really start flowing if he has a big performance in the playoffs. If you look at last year’s Super Bowl champion, the Philadelphia Eagles, as an example, you’ll see a trio of free agent gems who solidified big paydays in the spring with their performance in January and February.
Patriots fans know this firsthand as Milton Williams made a lot of money during last year’s Super Bowl run. While he made three tackles in the first three games, he turned it up a notch in the biggest game of them all, recording four total tackles, two sacks, and four pressures against the Kansas City Chiefs. With that performance fresh in everyone’s minds, Williams became the top interior defender on the market and cashed in with a four-year, $104 million contract that brought him to New England a few months later.
Zack Baun was another player who grabbed a bag during last year’s playoffs. While he put himself in a great position to cash in with 151 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception during the regular season, the playoffs saw him reach another level, recording 33 total tackles, 20 solo tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in four games. Fast forward a few weeks, and Baun re-signed with a three-year, $51 million contract.
The last member of this trio was guard Mekhi Becton. Like Chaisson, Becton’s career was headed nowhere fast as a former first-round pick. He resurrected his career with a position change, though, before putting forth an excellent performance in the conference championship game, logging a 78.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and allowing just one pressure on 31 pass blocking snaps in a 55-23 victory. When Becton hit free agency, he was rewarded with a two-year, $20 million contract.
What’s ironic about this is that Becton could be one of the factors that help Chaisson get paid this offseason. The Chargers' offensive line has been a struggle this season, thanks to season-ending injuries to starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Becton has also been a massive disappointment due to injuries and a career-low 35.3 overall grade with 37 pressures, including three sacks allowed on 444 pass-blocking snaps, and it led Los Angeles to rank 31st in Pro Football Focus’s offensive line rankings ahead of Week 18.
After resting most of their starters in their season finale against the Denver Broncos, PFF’s assessment is likely the most accurate before the final rankings come out later this week, and it’s tremendous news for Chaisson.
If Chaisson can dominate the Chargers’ front, it will grab the attention of teams looking to solidify their pass rush. If it leads to a Patriots win, it could lead to more opportunities for Chaisson to put more on tape and convince a team to do what it takes to get them on their team with a big, free agent contract.