ESPN writer picks Patriots' worst move of the 2026 offseason
· Yahoo Sports
The New England Patriots had a productive offseason, signing several key players in free agency and making a splash in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently broke down the best and worst moves by every AFC team this offseason. For the Patriots, Barnwell praised the team for the upgrades along the offensive line, but he clearly wasn't a fan of replacing K'Lavon Chaisson with Dre'Mont Jones as the top veteran edge rusher across from Harold Landry III.
Jones signed a three-year, $36.5 million deal with the Patriots, while Chiasson signed a one-year, $11.5 million deal with the Washington Commanders. Barnwell did not completely put a negative spin on the Jones signing, but it's also clear that he felt like the team should have stuck with Chaisson.
Barnwell wrote:
"Jones is a good pass rusher and a solid player, and the Pats were able to get a two-year commitment, but he's also three years older than Chaisson and a more inconsistent run defender. There’s never any room for sentiment in New England, but it would have been nice to see the Patriots reward one of their developmental success stories from 2025, and there’s a chance Chaisson’s upward trajectory still had some room for growth."
Chaisson ended up being one of the Patriots' most productive pass rushers last year, recording 7.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss. He was even better in the playoffs with three sacks, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass deflection through four games.
There is fair criticism surrounding the Jones signing after what Chaisson brought to the defense last season. It will be up to the veteran defender to prove that he can elevate—or at the very least sustain—the previous level of production.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: ESPN writer picks Patriots' worst move of the 2026 offseason