The New England Patriots have been focusing on upgrading the offensive line and edge position since Mike Vrabel was hired, and that paid off during the 2025 season. However, the linebacker corps as a whole needs to be addressed, and it’s worrisome that it’s seemingly going to be overlooked this offseason.
Last offseason, the blueprint was to build a veteran defense that could carry the team and establish a culture during the early years of quarterback Drake Maye’s development. It’s a roster-building technique that Vrabel was part of as a player for the Patriots in the early 2000s, which led them to three Super Bowl victories while Tom Brady was still developing into an elite quarterback.
Following that blueprint, the Patriots signed veteran linebackers Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, and K’Lavon Chaisson, who all went on to be starters, with Spillane and Landry voted as team captains as well. The depth behind them was thin all year, and it did cost them at times with injuries down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.
Spillane missed every game of the regular season following New England’s Week 14 bye week, and Landry missed the final two games of the season to prepare for the playoffs. Both linebackers were underwhelming in their first season with the Patriots, raising concerns for the linebacker room overall.
Patriots Cannot Overlook Upgrading LB Position For Next Season
The Patriots currently have two starting linebackers returning in 2026 (Landry, Spillane) and two other starters that are set to be free agents (Chaisson, Jack Gibbens). Here’s a look at the linebackers that are under contract for at least next season, per Spotrac.
- Harold Landry (2028 UFA, 2027 Team Out)
- Robert Spillane (2028 UFA, 2027 Team Out)
- Jahlani Tavai (2028 UFA, 2026 Team Out)
- Christian Elliss (2027 UFA)
- Anfernee Jennings (2027 UFA, 2026 Team Out)
- Marte Mapu (2027 UFA)
Spillane (ankle) and Landry (knee) are coming off injuries that lingered throughout the season and hindered their production, leading to a career low in certain areas for the pair of veterans who are both going to be on the wrong side of 30 years old in 2026. Although they should be considered in their prime years, Vrabel mentioned that he’d like to improve the team with young talent.
Vrabel has built the defense with veteran additions he has experience working with and knows fit well in his defensive scheme. He can still take the route of adding younger veteran free agents, whether he’s had prior experience with them or not. However, Vrabel should strongly consider drafting a linebacker they can develop into a cornerstone of the defense and a franchise pillar for the next ten years. It doesn’t have to be in this year’s draft, but sooner than later would be best.
It’s worth mentioning that the Patriots haven’t drafted a true linebacker in the first round since 2012 (Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower). Furthermore, the Patriots have only drafted three linebackers in the first round since 2008 (Jerod Mayo), and they haven’t done it since 2012. The highest that a linebacker has been drafted since then was in 2020 with Josh Uche in the second round.
- Jerod Mayo (10th overall, 2008)
- Chandler Jones (21st overall, 2012)
- Dont’a Hightower (25th overall, 2012)
- Josh Uche (60th overall, 2020)
While this is just the second offseason under Vrabel, history shows that New England doesn’t draft many linebackers, and they would rather have veteran players with experience across the middle of their defense. That can still happen with younger, versatile established talent around the league. Eventually, though, it will need to be addressed in the draft to essentially reset the position on the field and in the books as players like Christian Gonzalez and Drake Maye are next up to ink mega deals within the next couple of years.
It’s worth noting that the Patriots only have five drafted starters on the defense, one of whom just completed his rookie season and played more defensive snaps than any other player on the team, in Craig Woodson.
While at the NFL Scouting Combine, Vrabel noted that not missing on draft selections is essential to roster building. That means putting in the necessary legwork to ensure that the decisions made are prudent ones.
“We have to continue to draft well and develop because that’s the only way you can sustain the success we envision,” Vrabel said, via Patriots.com.
The Patriots did a phenomenal job hitting on just about all of their essential draft picks last year, and they’ll need to do it again to succeed in the way that Vrabel wants for his football team.