Patriots Slammed for Major Free Agent Signing

The New England Patriots entered the offseason knowing they desperately needed to repair their offense, but instead, they have paid special attention to their defense.

To be fair, the Patriots' defense was definitely in need of some help, as it showed significant signs of slippage in 2024 and clearly lacked top-level talent at every level.

That's why New England's first move was to address is ailing pass rush, signing Harold Landry to a three-year, $43.5 million contract. Landry had previously been released by the Tennessee Titans, so this move actually occurred before the free-agent rush began last Monday.

While the Pats definitely needed to add a pass rusher seeing as how they ranked last in the NFL with 28 sacks this past year, Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team does not love the decision to sign Landry, calling it one of the worst moves of free agency thus far.

"However, Harold Landry has been a declining player for a few years and was recently released by the Titans. And yet, the Patriots gave him a $43.5 million with $26 million in guarantees," Mosher wrote. "Landry has never been an elite pass rusher, but he’s a solid run defender with below-average size. But now, the Patriots are paying him like an elite edge rusher, and we know that he won’t ever be that."

Going to be brutally honest here: this take doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Over his last three healthy seasons, Landry has racked up 31.5 sacks. He totaled 71 tackles and nine sacks in 2024, and had it not been for a torn ACL that wiped out his 2022 campaign, he would probably be one of the league leaders in sacks over the last four years.

Landry is a very good edge rusher who will bring some much-needed assistance to the Patriots' front seven. Did New England overpay for him? Maybe, but let's be real: the Pats probably overpaid more for defensive tackle Milton Williams, who inked a four-year, $104 million pact with the Patriots.

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