The New England Patriots are firmly in a new era now that about half a year has passed since Mike Vrabel was brought on as the new head coach. The Patriots have since spent the last six months signing free agents, trading for new faces, and drafting for the future, leaving time to tell if the offseason moves were enough to bring the storied franchise back to prominence.
With so many new names in the mix in New England, it'll be interesting to see who does and doesn't live up to the hype under Vrabel's watch. When it comes to the former category, it hasn't taken one of the Patriots' offseason additions long to look underpaid without having played a single snap.
Patriots LB K'Lavon Chaisson Already Looks Underpaid This Offseason
K'Lavon Chaisson is one Patriot whose contract is shaping up to be an underpayment. The veteran linebacker joined New England on a one-year, $3.94 million contract this offseason, and there's a good chance that his 2025 performance will make his price tag look like a bargain.
After all, Chaisson's potential was on display during his time with the Las Vegas Raiders last season. The former LSU Tiger finished with career-highs in sacks (5.0), total tackles (32), and broken-up passes (2), all while adding a forced fumble and an interception in 15 games (4 starts).
Additionally, Chaisson's underlying stats further paint a promising future. Not only was his 63.0 defense grade on Pro Football Focus the best of his career, but his 74.7 pass rush grade was also a new personal best as he generated 29 pressures across 309 passing downs.
Chaisson will have to compete with the likes of Harold Landry III, Anfernee Jennings, Keion White, and Bradyn Swinson for snaps, which could motivate him to take his game to another level. Successfully doing so while building on top of last year's performance could see the ex-2020 first-round pick become one of the Patriots' most important defenders sooner rather than later.
Vrabel is a former NFL linebacker, so if anyone knows how good Chaisson can be, it's him. Hopefully, the Patriots' head coach can successfully unlock the veteran disruptor's full potential because that would add another threat to an already respectable defensive unit.