The New England Patriots have seen several big names depart Foxborough this offseason. From Stefon Diggs being released to K'Lavon Chaisson signing a $12 million contract with the Washington Commanders in free agency, some of the names that helped New England return to the mountaintop in the AFC no longer don the Patriots' blue.
While the loss of Chaisson, on paper, has the feel of a move that will impact New England's defense moving forward, the decision to move on from the veteran pass rusher was the right one to make.
Even though the Patriots will have to find a way to replace the 7.5 quarterback sacks and 31 tackles Chaisson made, the likelihood that Chaisson would offer similar production moving forward, even on a short-term deal, was slim enough to allow New England's front office to feel comfortable letting him walk to the District of Columbia.
New England's Financial Decision on Chaisson Improved Patriots' Roster
The biggest question facing Chaisson moving forward is whether the 2025 campaign was simply an aberration or the new norm for the 26-year-old defender. The Patriots are betting that his production this past season was a flash in the pan, and that is a decision they will have to live with.
The market, seemingly, being as apprehensive about giving Chaisson a long-term contract would lead one to believe the rest of the league feels the same way as New England's front office. Despite the $12 million figure, this feels very much like an elevated "prove it" contract for a player who has, largely, been a disappointment since entering the league as the No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 draft.
In the five seasons leading up to his 2025 performance, Chaisson had 10 total sacks, with three seasons in which he recorded 20 or fewer tackles. Now, it should be pointed out that his performance as part of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 was an uptick in production from his first four years in the league, but still fell far short of the impact he had as part of Vrabel's system, as shown by Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value grading scale.
Now, the former Louisiana State standout goes from New England's productive defense to one of the worst units in the league in 2025 in the Commanders. After finishing dead last in yards allowed per game (384.3) and 27th in total passing yards allowed (4,122), Washington needs all the help it can get when it comes to making life difficult on opposing quarterbacks, and the pressure will be on Chaisson to prove he can help accomplish that goal.
While his efforts in New England were certainly appreciated, the money needs to make sense in free agency. That wasn't the case for Chaisson and the Patriots, as they chose to use that money in different, potentially more effective ways.