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The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed reported Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots don’t expect to land a top edge rusher in 2026 NFL free agency.
Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots appear poised to take big swings at acquiring an edge rusher this offseason. But based on a new report, the Patriots expect to swing and miss on a potential major acquisition.
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed reported the Patriots see the market pricing them out of signing Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, or Odafe Oweh. NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal ranked all three of those edge rushers in his top 10 projected 2026 free agents.
“Hendrickson, Phillips, and Oweh are all widely viewed as a few of the top overall available free agents this offseason. Some top free-agent lists even have Hendrickson at No. 1,” wrote Boston.com’s Conor Roche. “Hendrickson recorded 57 sacks in his first four seasons in Cincinnati before posting a four-sack season in 2025, missing 10 games due to a hip injury.”
If the Patriots pursue a trade for an elite edge rusher, Maxx Crosby is a possibility. However, Callahan and Kyed wrote the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t definitely interested in trading Crosby.
Should the Raiders part with Crosby, it also might not happen until just before the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Patriots are in the market for an elite edge rusher this spring. New England finished 22nd in the NFL with 35 sacks last season.
Why the Patriots Are Interested in Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips & Other Top Edge Rushers
There really isn’t a team in the league who wouldn’t love to add Hendrickson, Phillips or Oweh this offseason. Edge rushers are so important, and all three of those are significant defensive playmakers.
Hendrickson has been among the league’s best for quite some time and finally received recognition for his play in 2024. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks while making first-team All-Pro during that campaign.
The question is how much will he get in free agency at 31 years old and coming off core muscle surgery. Hendrickson only played seven games last season.
Apparently, he will get enough to be too expensive for New England.
Phillips and Oweh were each traded during the 2025 campaign. Phillips only posted two sacks after moving to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he created consistent pressure.
Oweh registered 7.5 sacks with 13 quarterback hits in 12 games with the Los Angeles Chargers to end 2025.
MassLive’s Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian agreed with the Boston Herald report that the Patriots probably won’t sign an elite edge rusher. However, Daniels and Guregian conveyed the idea it could be more by choice than an inability for the Patriots to meet the edge rushers’s asking prices.
“Phillips was a player the Patriots had interest in during the NFL trade deadline before Miami traded him to Philadelphia,” Daniels and Guregian wrote. “The 26-year-old edge rusher had five sacks last season and is viewed as a fit in Vrabel’s system.
“The big question, however, is how much the Patriots are willing to spend.”
Mike Vrabel’s Edge Rushing Depth Entering 2026
New England didn’t have a defender reach double digits in sacks during 2025. The Patriots also had only two players with more than five sacks.
That’s why the team is targeting pass rushing upgrades this offseason. K’Lavon Chaisson is also an unrestricted free agent. Chaisson was second for New England with 7.5 sacks last season.
“Although the team would like K’Lavon Chaisson back, it’s not a guarantee he’ll return to New England, as it’s expected he’ll have a robust free agent market,” wrote Daniels and Guregian. “As one league source said, ‘Chaisson’s looking to get paid.’
Furthermore, New England’s top defender in terms of sacks in 2025, Harold Landry, will turn 30 in June. In a perfect world, the Patriots will lean on Landry as a secondary edge rusher rather than a top defensive playmaker sooner rather than later.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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