Player Signing OLB Harold Landry signing with Patriots

[Huckleberry1]

I’d say the guys that hit above that criteria:

Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Chris Godwin, Jevon Holland, Byron Murphy, DJ Reed

Slightly different list, but the same idea. It looks like a good free agency to go defense heavy, and that will free them to focus on offense in the draft.

 

[Real fan 02]

Roster spot being safe and playing time being safe are two different things. Jennings has 4 sacks in the last two years as a starter/consistent playing time. That's just not good for a high snap count edge defender. Maybe the underlying metrics are better but to the eye he just brings little to no juice as a pass rusher. You can find a role for him, but I think it's hard to justify playing someone like that a ton on the edge.

True. Jennings is a edge setting LB and was playing put of position at DE last season due to poor depth and play.

He is coming along as. A rusher.. but was never asked to rush the passer he was asked to focus on the run and setting the edge. He plays hard, and has the attitude and mentality you want.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Landry is an exponent of the "ghost" rush.

"The ghost technique as we know it today is when you flash the long-arm move to the tackles’ face (to stop their feet and create a soft edge) and go under their outside arm around the corner. This causes the blocker to strike at air and make it seem like the rusher has disappeared like a ghost. Now you see me, now you don’t."

Ghost Stories: The origin story of the ghost technique and those who perfected it

Examining the origin story, technical details and different versions of the hottest pass-rush move in football

trenchwarfare.substack.com

He's not a bull-rush kind of guy - but great at stunts and waiting to see how the play develops. There's film of him initially starting out wide (9-technique) and faking a rush around the edge but then eventually coming through the middle (A-gap) to hit the QB.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

What were his "pass rush win rate" grades during peak years? It sounds like he might be a unique player who relies on stunts and creative pass rush paths. That's not going to grade well but if it's been the case his whole career, there's enough track record to call him an outlier.

 

[PWRxWLF]

His numbers took a drop last year... not the sacks, but the knockdowns, pressures, etc were down across the boards... Hoping coming back to a Vrabel run system brings those numbers back up... sacks are fun, when there is a discrepancy between the sacks/pressure, makes you wonder how many of those were coverage sacks... though, the Titans D regressed last year giving up almost 100 points more than they did in 2023 (460 v 367)... so - you tell me - with that kind of ****ty D, are coverage sacks really a thing? ... Think I may be over thinking this...

Phil Perry was on Currans podcast and reported that he heard Landry was playing in the 230’s last year and not his listed weight of 252 or whatever is. He did have an off year and maybe the experiment of dropping weight had something to do with it?

 

[SlowGettingUp]

What were his "pass rush win rate" grades during peak years? It sounds like he might be a unique player who relies on stunts and creative pass rush paths. That's not going to grade well but if it's been the case his whole career, there's enough track record to call him an outlier.

Last year, his pass rush win rate was terrible - bottom among Edges.

But weirdly, PFF gives him his highest overall grade ever for 2024 - I guess because of his run play.

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/harold-landry/48600?season=2024

Film Review: Breaking Down the Addition of EDGE Harold Landry to the Patriots Defense

The Patriots first addition of free agency should help improve the pass rush in New England next season.

www.patriots.com

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Last year, his pass rush win rate was terrible - bottom among Edges.

Film Review: Breaking Down the Addition of EDGE Harold Landry to the Patriots Defense

The Patriots first addition of free agency should help improve the pass rush in New England next season.

www.patriots.com

So it was a drop off vs the years prior according to that: "Here were Landry's win rates in his five prior seasons: 10.3%, 7.7%, 7.5%, 6.1%, and 7.9%"

Curious if anyone knows how that ranked in those years. Sometimes if you rely on pressures through stunts and creative blitzing, you don;t score well. I remember Judon was like that. So while that number is low, I'm curious if he's always been low in that area relative to his sack totals. I don't have a perception of how low 4.8% is vs. 7.5% of 6.1% or 10.3%. Are the elite rushers higher than that?

 

[Pape]

Phil Perry was on Currans podcast and reported that he heard Landry was playing in the 230’s last year and not his listed weight of 252 or whatever is. He did have an off year and maybe the experiment of dropping weight had something to do with it?

combined with using him differently in the defense/pass rush? yeah, makes sense.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

So it was a drop off vs the years prior according to that: "Here were Landry's win rates in his five prior seasons: 10.3%, 7.7%, 7.5%, 6.1%, and 7.9%"

Curious if anyone knows how that ranked in those years. Sometimes if you rely on pressures through stunts and creative blitzing, you don;t score well. I remember Judon was like that. So while that number is low, I'm curious if he's always been low in that area relative to his sack totals. I don't have a perception of how low 4.8% is vs. 7.5% of 6.1% or 10.3%. Are the elite rushers higher than that?

Judon was actually the 10th best pressure player in 2023 on pass sets (and his overall grade in 2023 was similar to Landry's last year). So we'll take that any day.

NFL’s top 10 edge defenders in pressures on true pass sets: Cowboys' Micah Parsons and Jaguars' Josh Allen rank in the top five

True pass sets exclude plays designed to limit pass rushers, such as those with play action, screens and RPOs.

www.pff.com

 

[Triumph]

Before the cigars are lit and champagne uncorked.

The 2024 Titans had the 30th ranked defense. Corky Jones beat Tennessee twice with his last game pro bowl caliber 122 QB rating.

The Bears, Jets, Jags, Patriots all beat them.

 

[n1997y]

I think he's a fine signing.

My main concern is that he's going to be the ONLY real signing, and will be paraded in front of the media like KJ Osborn was last year. "See, we did a thing!"

That aged well

(jk)

 

[PatsfaninBulgaria]

...I mean, it's a 2nd tier signing. Maybe more major than Austin Hooper coming back, but considering what Joey Bosa and Hendrickson are about to get, and what Myles Garrett just got...eh.

Getting the #2 pressure guy is just a 2nd tier signing?? Wow. "Maybe more major than Austin Hooper....???" WOW!

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Getting the #2 pressure guy is just a 2nd tier signing?? Wow. "Maybe more major than Austin Hooper....???" WOW!

he had a 4,7% pass rush win rate last year (harold landry)

 

[TheRainMaker]

Wise & Jennings are on alert.
Wise has been too old for 2 years. He was a captain under the last regime, but Vrabel might be able to clean house without attachments.
Jennings had moments, but at best sticks through camp as a last chance to be a backup.

Wise is a FA and I don't see a spot on the on the line as a starter.

Jennings will go back to being a reserve.

The front 4 will be:

Edge Landry
DT Barmore
Dt Williams
DE White

 

[Pape]

Wise is a FA and I don't see a spot on the on the line as a starter.

Jennings will go back to being a reserve.

The front 4 will be:

Edge Landry
DT Barmore
Dt Williams
DE White

Wise's best days are past... but I wouldn't mind him returning as a rotational piece... but if we move on, i'm good with that too

 

[TommyD4207]

Getting the #2 pressure guy is just a 2nd tier signing?? Wow. "Maybe more major than Austin Hooper....???" WOW!

Harold Landry is a fine player. He's not an elite pass rusher by any means. He's a good starter.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Sweet!! Love it. 14.5M APY is not bad at all either. Less than what was on his prior deal. Guy gives high effort, is versatile and knows what kind of culture Vrabel wants to implement.

Incentives can bring it up to 16m per year. But yes feels totally worth to bolster our anemic pass rush.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Harold Landry is a fine player. He's not an elite pass rusher by any means. He's a good starter.

Landry averages 8.8 sacks per season and been to a Pro Bowl. Considering we were last place in pass rush last year, he will come in and become our top pass rusher right away.

 

[PScottman]

How do you feel about the *****ing about the *****ing about the *****ing?

Well, I'll ***** about it, but it's just noise at that point.

 

[Wozzy]

Landry averages 8.8 sacks per season and been to a Pro Bowl. Considering we were last place in pass rush last year, he will come in and become our top pass rusher right away.

He also took some time to develop, his last three years healthy are impressive. Not surprisingly he plays the same position as Vrabel in the defense. I’m sure the coach filled his brain in Tennessee.