The New England Patriots made it to the Super Bowl last season, but they are still looking to find a way to take a step forward when they return to action for the 2026 campaign. Doing so is going to be easier said than done, but on paper at least, this roster appears to be in much better shape than it was at this point last season.
While the Pats made upgrades across the board this offseason, one of their lone weak spots right now appears to be their pass rush. That has put the spotlight on Harold Landry, who is entering his second year with New England. Ahead of the start of training camp, though, New England has made a somewhat concerning roster move involving Landry.
Patriots Place Harold Landry on PUP List
After spending the first seven years of his career with the Tennessee Titans, Landry reunited with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel, by signing with the Pats in free agency last offseason. New England needed someone to come in and lead the team in the pass rush department, and Landry became that guy.
Landry suited up for the Patriots in 15 games last year, racking up 49 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and one forced fumble during his time on the field. As the season wore on, though, Landry struggled with a lingering knee injury, and while he battled through it, he wasn’t the same player late in the year that he was in the beginning.
Considering how Landry previously missed the entire 2022 campaign with a torn ACL, the Pats are obviously going to play it safe with their top pass rusher ahead of the new season. Sure enough, after he was held out during the team’s offseason program, Landry has been placed on the PUP list ahead of training camp, which will give him more time to get fully ready for the upcoming season.
“The Patriots placed LB Harold Landry on the active/PUP list so he’ll be sidelined to start camp after missing work in the spring,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network shared in a post on X.
Patriots Hoping for Big Things from Harold Landry in 2026
GettyNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 12: Harold Landry III #2 of the New England Patriots runs onto the field during the NFL 2025 game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on October 12, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Landry might actually face more pressure to succeed for New England than he did in his first season with the team. While the Patriots signed Dre’Mont Jones in free agency, it came at the cost of letting K’Lavon Chaisson walk, and it remains to be seen if Jones will be an upgrade over Chaisson. Beyond that, second-round pick Gabe Jacas still has not signed his rookie contract ahead of the start of training camp, which is quickly becoming a very concerning situation.
We saw early last season that, when he’s healthy, Landry still can get after the quarterback with the best of them. Even if he can play in all 17 games, though, he may not have enough support to put up big numbers, as Jones isn’t exactly a pass rush specialist, and Jacas’ status is a big question mark right now. New England needs a big season from Landry, which will make his injury situation worth keeping tabs on as training camp unfolds.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Patriots Make Harold Landry Roster Move Amid Injury Concerns appeared first on HEAVY.