“He’s doing some things on the side. He’s doing some things with the strength coaches and the trainers, and I know he’s working hard.”
Harold Landry hasn’t been on the field so far this season for New England. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe
November 5, 2026 | 5:32 PM
3 minutes to read
The Patriots’ pass-rushing corps has been one of the team’s most encouraging developments so far this season, with New England among just eight teams in the league to record at least 22 sacks.
New England posted only 35 total sacks all of last year.
The emergence of younger pass rushers like Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas has been critical to New England’s success in getting after opposing QBs.
But the Patriots could use some reinforcements for the stretch run — headlined by the potential availability of former defensive captain Harold Landry Jr.
Landry appeared in 15 games with the Patriots last year, posting a team-best 8.5 sacks in 2025 to go along with 10 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, and one forced fumble.
But Landry seemingly has been stuck in limbo for months now — landing on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list before the start of the season.
On Wednesday, Mike Vrabel was asked if Landry — who played for him during their time with the Titans — is getting any closer to a return in 2026.
“I would say that anybody that’s still here and that’s getting treatment is tracking [to return],” Vrabel said. “How quickly they track or what that pace is I don’t know. I just know that he’s working extremely hard, and like I’ve said a few times before, whenever he’s ready, he’ll start to return to play or he’ll start that process.
“He’s doing some things on the side. He’s doing some things with the strength coaches and the trainers, and I know he’s working hard.”
Landry has been hindered by knee injuries dating back to last season.
The former Boston College standout impressed at the start of the 2025 season with New England, posting 5.5 sacks and 12 QB hits in his first seven games with his new team.
But his production waned as the rest of the season went on. He only recorded three more sacks the rest of the season while offering up middling returns in the postseason — missing the AFC title game against Denver and logging just 25 total snaps in both the AFC Divisional Round against the Texans and Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks.
Since then, Landry has not taken part in full football activities with the Patriots. He missed all of minicamp, training camp, and preseason action before being placed on the PUP list.
“Harold has played a lot of football,” Vrabel said when minicamp began in the summer. “And so we just have to try to — this is all part of everyone has a little different plan. I think you guys understand that, having spent a year with us and kind of how we operate.
“So, he is very involved, very heavily involved in the meetings and the workouts and in a leadership role. For him to take reps right now in the spring, I feel like is unnecessary. We will just keep working to make sure that he is ready to go when we need him.”
Even if the Patriots haven’t needed Landry’s production so far this season, getting him back at some point would be a major boost for New England, given the gamble that comes with relying on rookies and other younger players during the final stretches of a grueling football season.
For now, Vrabel and the Patriots don’t seem willing to rule out Landry for the remainder of the 2026 season. But the clock is ticking.
“Of course, the plan would be for him to return at some point. I mean, when he’s ready to go,” Vrabel said last month of Landry’s status. “Harold has been around. He’s working extremely hard and just isn’t ready to go yet. So, we just have to be patient and continue with what he’s doing, which is coming in every single day, doing his part to be around the team in the morning, and then go and do his rehab. Just not ready yet. And so we’re not going to put him out there.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.