With the preseason coming to a close, players are left with one last game to make an impression before teams have to cut down the roster to 53. For the New England Patriots, following preseason wins against the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings, this will come on Thursday, August 21st, when they head out on the road to take on the New York Giants.
While the biggest decisions after this game will be about who does and doesn't make the final 53-man roster, this game could also be the nail in the coffin for one starter who may be replaced by a new offseason addition.
K'Lavon Chaisson stock is rising 📈 according to @_AndrewCallahan
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) August 18, 2025
“Still leads the team in sacks for camp. He took some snaps ahead of Keion White and opposite Harold Landry, meaning he was with the starting defense for some periods”
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Kein White's Starting Spot Could Be in Jeopardy
In recent practices, we've seen that K'Lavon Chaisson has been taking starter snaps away from Keion White, and that trend could lead to White being bumped out of the starting lineup for the regular season.
White, a 2023 2nd round pick, is entering his third year with the Pats, coming off a season in which he tallied 56 total tackles and 5 sacks. Chaisson signed with the Pats this past offseason on a 1 year 3 million contract. He was a 1st round pick back in 2020 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he'd spend 4 seasons, before spending last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. So far, Chaisson has been one of the standout players during training camp and preseason action.
K’Lavon Chaisson has been the starting edge rusher opposite of Harold Landry the last few practices. He’s had a great summer.
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) August 19, 2025
Chaisson didn't light up the stat sheet during his time in Jacksonville, only tallying 73 tackles and 5 sacks in 57 games. He did have a career year in his lone season with the Raiders though, racking up 32 tackles and 5 sacks, while also getting one interception in 15 games. While it could be an outlier, it does show that Chaisson is capable of making plays and could be a real asset to a Pats defense that generated the least amount of sacks last year.
While it's not a great sign that White is seeing fewer snaps with the starters, Pats fans shouldn't worry yet.
We've seen what White can do, and with an improved defense, he should be able to do more damage to opposing offenses. Plus, with Harold Landry on the older side, having three edge rushers that you feel confident in playing is welcome, considering the rough defensive season last year.