Mike Vrabel became Patriots head coach in January and inherited coaching and roster problems after consecutive 4-13 seasons. The 2024 pass rush struggled badly after trading Matthew Judon, losing Christian Barmore to recurring blood clots, and suffering injuries to Keion White and Deatrich Wise Jr. New England finished last in total sacks with 28 and received a 62.1 overall pass rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 29th. The team added Milton Williams, Harold Landry, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Khyiris Tonga in the offseason. Joint practices and a preseason game against Minnesota showcased improved defensive play and opponent recognition of those upgrades.
They got some players. It was a good test for us to see Barmore back out there today. That's obviously going to make a big difference for them. I got a ton of respect for Harold. I played against him before, and just everything I hear about him is true professional. And then Milton's got some juice for sure, too. ... And Keion is pretty good, too, off the edge, and he's able to do it from both side
The Patriots wound up dead last in football in total sacks with 28.
Offseason additions like Milton Williams, Harold Landry, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Khyiris Tonga have given the defense some juice, and Vrabel's influence was fully on display during a competitive week that included two joint practices and a preseason game at Minnesota.
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