Harold Landry Update

Headcase · 2026-04-16T08:53:48-0400

Real fan 02 said:
As currently constructed. We have 5 Starters on the offensive line that you would enter a game if it were played today.

One cannot say the same for the defensive edge.

I'll remain bullish that edge has to be addressed with #31.. the pass rush significantly helps the offense.

Look at what Houston & Denver team's with ferocious pass rushes are able to do for their offenses.. getting Drake the ball back at the 50 or inside the 40 from a sack on 3rd down.. or INTs, sack fumbles. The more opportunities you give your offense due to a pass rush and getting off the feild on 3rd down the better. Of course protect is vital as well. However we have a solid starting 5.. we don't have a presumed starter opposite Dre Jones right now.

As far as I can see, between Houston and Denver, one of their D-Ends was a high draft pick, just Anderson. The rest of them are 3rd rd picks and a UDFA, there is no one in Anderson's class in this draft, never mind at 31. I don't disagree that we need someone on the Edge, I'm just not sold that one at 31 is the best use of the pick.

Building a Team, not collecting talent.

Wozzy · 2026-04-16T09:45:51-0400

People here talking like Landry can’t pass rush anymore, is washed up or will be relegated to a part time player.

He was averaging almost sack a game with the most stout run defense in the NFL, he was looking like an All Pro before an injury we all witnessed where his knee got folded in half. That he kept playing was a miracle.

They can change out knee ligaments like car tires nowadays. He’s going to be 30 years old this season, not forty. They may have to ease him into the lineup like they did Stefon Diggs, Diggs is a few years older and plays a position more dependent on quick cuts.

They have an edge starter, Landry, they have a young stud in the wings already in Ponder. They have a total unknown in Swinson, they can add some depth in the middle to late rounds in the draft.

Edge isn’t the massive need it’s being made out to be, if there’s a game wrecker sitting there in the first or second round they should add him… otherwise add late.

I love Penn State DE/OLB Dani Dennis-Sutton in the second round, he looks like a young Willie Mac. Get that guy if he slips.

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T09:47:04-0400

Headcase said:
As far as I can see, between Houston and Denver, one of their D-Ends was a high draft pick, just Anderson. The rest of them are 3rd rd picks and a UDFA, there is no one in Anderson's class in this draft, never mind at 31. I don't disagree that we need someone on the Edge, I'm just not sold that one at 31 is the best use of the pick.

Building a Team, not collecting talent.

Bonito one the best edges in the league was a 5th rounder i believe? Yes, Anderson Jr. Was a top pick and had more than lived up to the billing however those teams have a collection of guys not just one. Vrabel's moves thus far are all intentional. He knows he needs edge rushers. I don't know what Swinson is or will become i have more belief in Ponder than I do Swinson. So whether the guys is at 31, 63 ,or whatever ever round you need edge rushers. Those guys make huge differences. We have a starting 5 on the OL we don't have a starter at edge opposite dre jones..

rkarp1 · 2026-04-16T09:51:40-0400

drafting an edge at #31 will be a 4-5 year commit, same as any position.
but Landry is what 1-2 years, assuming his knee is 100%
D Jones is 29 years old, and most likely is also a couple of years
Ponder is signed for next year and then is a free agent
if a stud is still there for the edge at #31, jump.

DoubleDeluxe · 2026-04-16T09:53:25-0400

Real fan 02 said:
Bonito one the best edges in the league was a 5th rounder i believe? Yes, Anderson Jr. Was a top pick and had more than lived up to the billing however those teams have a collection of guys not just one. Vrabel's moves thus far are all intentional. He knows he needs edge rushers. I don't know what Swinson is or will become i have more belief in Ponder than I do Swinson. So whether the guys is at 31, 63 ,or whatever ever round you need edge rushers. Those guys make huge differences. We have a starting 5 on the OL we don't have a starter at edge opposite dre jones..

Bonito was a 2nd rd pick

Pape · 2026-04-16T10:00:53-0400

jimnance said:
Your reading comprehension needs work.
Go back and read my original post.
I said position of need if theyre not far off from being bpa. If you draft a position of need and the player is 10+ spots worse., that's a reach. Duh. That is what zDaBruinz was implying. Otherwise why did he even respond to my post ?

my reading comprehension is more than adequate, tyvm. Better than most I would say, if I don't care about being humble... and I don't at the moment... So, go back to your original post? why? I know what it says... I think you need to go read bruinz posts again... figure it out ... it ain't that hard...

"BPA" is ass ... BPA with context of needs? Is how it should be done...

the whole BPA thing is something that cropped up when it was spun out by the talking heads on draft shows - a term that has leeched into the lexicon of todays sports fans... you know, the same the talking heads, who, for the most part, can't spell cat if you spotted them the C & the T

DoubleDeluxe · 2026-04-16T11:32:29-0400

DoubleDeluxe said:
Bonito was a 2nd rd pick

Pass rush is a huge area of need…for me. This goes back to last Oct when we were approaching the trade deadline. Tommy wanted a safety, I was pounding the table for an Edge. Jones and a maybe healthy Landry plus the young guys isn’t enough, we need an upgrade. I think it should be in the first 2 rds (assuming the value is there). If Vrabs can fix it later in the draft, more power to him, but we need an upgrade badly.

DaBruinz · 2026-04-16T12:23:00-0400

rkarp1 said:
drafting an edge at #31 will be a 4-5 year commit, same as any position.
but Landry is what 1-2 years, assuming his knee is 100%
D Jones is 29 years old, and most likely is also a couple of years
Ponder is signed for next year and then is a free agent
if a stud is still there for the edge at #31, jump.

Ponder is signed through the 2027 season and then is an Restricted Free Agent. If he continues to progress, he'll earn a nice fat contract extension. There is another entire draft before you have to worry about Ponder and a contract..

Dre'mont Jones is very likely to play the entirety of his contract. Which is through 2028..

As for jumping for an edge at 31, that's not necessarily what to do.. It depends on whether the OT you want is there.

This idea that the Pats HAVE to jump for an edge at 31 is incorrect. Especially if the OT they want is still there.

Wozzy · 2026-04-16T12:32:59-0400

DaBruinz said:
Ponder is signed through the 2027 season and then is an Restricted Free Agent. If he continues to progress, he'll earn a nice fat contract extension. There is another entire draft before you have to worry about Ponder and a contract..

Dre'mont Jones is very likely to play the entirety of his contract. Which is through 2028..

As for jumping for an edge at 31, that's not necessarily what to do.. It depends on whether the OT you want is there.

This idea that the Pats HAVE to jump for an edge at 31 is incorrect. Especially if the OT they want is still there.

Agreed, if the offensive tackle is sitting there in the first take him. Otherwise take the best player available at offensive or defensive line or trade back.

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T13:29:21-0400

DoubleDeluxe said:
Bonito was a 2nd rd pick

Thank you. Brain fart. Not sure why I'm thinking a later round pick for him.. but nonetheless I can't express enough the importance of targeting this position first. As I've stated you have 5 starters on the OL.. you don't on the defense edge.

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T13:33:55-0400

DoubleDeluxe said:
Pass rush is a huge area of need…for me. This goes back to last Oct when we were approaching the trade deadline. Tommy wanted a safety, I was pounding the table for an Edge. Jones and a maybe healthy Landry plus the young guys isn’t enough, we need an upgrade. I think it should be in the first 2 rds (assuming the value is there). If Vrabs can fix it later in the draft, more power to him, but we need an upgrade badly.

This. For example I see post regarding taking an OT first.. ok sure that is fine as well. However will he be a starter? You have 5 guys already that you'd feel comfortable if a game was played today on the OL.. those guys don't sub in and out like edge and defensive line does. Unless that OT is a starter then your best bet is taking a proverbial starter at edge that can make an immediate impact and not have to ride the bench behind someone. Personally I'm not counting on landry until we can see him in camp.

Your current edge depth is:

Jones
Landry *
Ponder
Swinson

rkarp1 · 2026-04-16T13:37:15-0400

DaBruinz said:
Ponder is signed through the 2027 season and then is an Restricted Free Agent. If he continues to progress, he'll earn a nice fat contract extension. There is another entire draft before you have to worry about Ponder and a contract..

Dre'mont Jones is very likely to play the entirety of his contract. Which is through 2028..

As for jumping for an edge at 31, that's not necessarily what to do.. It depends on whether the OT you want is there.

This idea that the Pats HAVE to jump for an edge at 31 is incorrect. Especially if the OT they want is still there.

we disagree on the longevity of Jones and Landry
I said Ponder is a free agent after next season and you said he is a restricted free agent after 2027 (next season)

I also said "if a stud(edge) is still there" I would jump
What I did not say, but have said for a couple of weeks on numerous threads here, is that I believe there to be 7 OT that will be drafted before #31, and the drop off after 7 is to the 3rd round

40yrpatsfan · 2026-04-16T13:53:40-0400

jimnance said:
I disagree. Let's say your biggest needs are qb and dt but there's only mediocre qbs and dts on the board. But there's a stud safety which you dont really need.
No-brainer you draft the safety. Now you have improved your team with a quality player.
The 2 mediocre picks do not improve your team. What you're saying is what bad football teams do.
You never reach. Never. Period.
If a position of need is not the best bpa but is not far away- then,yes you draft him.
But you dont reach. That's what the Jete do.

You're saying to not reach for a position of need when there are better players available at other positions, should pivot to another position even if it's not as great a need. But if the BPA is a LT and we already have a stud LT, we're more likely to trade down than pick another one or to reach for the mediocre DT. We're a team with MANY needs so it shouldn't be hard to find a good value at a position of need.

Another factor is how many guys at the same position & quality are left? e.g., in the mid rounds of this draft I think there's gonna still be many LB's that are pretty good, but not many good safeties. That could influence us to pick the safety over a more highly rated LB, thinking we can get the LB later.

rkarp1 · 2026-04-16T14:06:52-0400

Real fan 02 said:
This. For example I see post regarding taking an OT first.. ok sure that is fine as well. However will he be a starter? You have 5 guys already that you'd feel comfortable if a game was played today on the OL.. those guys don't sub in and out like edge and defensive line does. Unless that OT is a starter then your best bet is taking a proverbial starter at edge that can make an immediate impact and not have to ride the bench behind someone. Personally I'm not counting on landry until we can see him in camp.

Your current edge depth is:

Jones
Landry *
Ponder
Swinson

I agree on Landry
the OP states he is at the facility everyday working hard on his rehab.
does he start on PUP? does he miss any games?

Ponder to date is a nice story about a guy over achieving, but in reality last season he was a 1 trick pony type player that gets pressure, but not much on the other phases of the position, yet. we see upside, but not there yet.

If the team double dips at edge, is Swinson even on the team?

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T14:28:42-0400

rkarp1 said:
I agree on Landry
the OP states he is at the facility everyday working hard on his rehab.
does he start on PUP? does he miss any games?

Ponder to date is a nice story about a guy over achieving, but in reality last season he was a 1 trick pony type player that gets pressure, but not much on the other phases of the position, yet. we see upside, but not there yet.

If the team double dips at edge, is Swinson even on the team?

Yes. This is the exact point I'm making. Sure he's working out, rehabilitation ect. His leadership, his passion and love for the game. However he's had a serious knee injury before in 2022. Came back and had a nice season. Ponder is a UDFA so really anything you can get from him was an added bonus. Not to undervalue UDFA but those guys typical if they make a roster are PS bound. Ponder is still growing as a player and could have a real impact provided he takes a job in camp. As for me.. unless something unexpected happens i don't see how Vrabel doesn't go edge first and then to your point dip back in say 3rd or 4th round?

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T15:16:30-0400

Wozzy said:
Agreed, if the offensive tackle is sitting there in the first take him. Otherwise take the best player available at offensive or defensive line or trade back.

You have 5 starting OL already unless that tackle your taking at #31 is the 2026 OL is starter you're better off taking the edge in the first round. But then again Moses may not last the entire season so...

Zuma · 2026-04-16T15:41:38-0400

Real fan 02 said:
You have 5 starting OL already unless that tackle your taking at #31 is the 2026 OL is starter you're better off taking the edge in the first round. But then again Moses may not last the entire season so...

You have a OL that had for more issues in the playoffs and Superbowl then the DL.

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T15:54:11-0400

Zuma said:
You have a OL that had for more issues in the playoffs and Superbowl then the DL.

True. Was just making a point that at least you can start them had you had a game today. Who is the starter opposite Jones? We couldn't protect Drake in the superbowl and we couldn't get to the pass either.

Zuma · 2026-04-16T15:56:49-0400

Real fan 02 said:
True. Was just making a point that at least you can start them had you had a game today. Who is the starter opposite Jones? We couldn't protect Drake in the superbowl and we couldn't get to the pass either.

Landry is the starter opposite Jones. He is still with the team.

Real fan 02 · 2026-04-16T16:06:58-0400

Zuma said:
Landry is the starter opposite Jones. He is still with the team.

He's on the roster and under contract yes. We'll see come training camp. Love to see him start and return to form.. We'll see.

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