Defense has been the theme of the offseason for the New England Patriots.

After going 4-13 in consecutive seasons, the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel, who has been a brilliant defensive mind both on the field and as a coach.

Having a defensive-oriented head coach like Bill Belichick helped New England win six Super Bowls, so the Patriots brought in one of Belichick’s former players to re-establish the defensive identity they had during their dynasty.

With Vrabel at the helm and the most cap space in the league, the Patriots allocated almost all their resources toward one side of the ball.

New England addressed all three levels of its defense in free agency, signing defensive tackle Milton Williams, linebacker Harold Landry, cornerback Carlton Davis, among others.

Despite bringing in multiple new faces on defense, NFL.com listed pass rush as the biggest remaining priority for the Patriots this offseason.

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New England ranked dead last in the NFL with 28 sacks last season and could use more help along the edge.

After signing Landry, whom Vrabel coached with the Tennessee Titans, Vrabel could bring in another former player to help give the pass rush more juice.

Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, is still a free agent and could help strengthen an area of weakness for the Patriots.

Despite being 32 years old, Clowney continues to put up solid production. He recorded 5.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss in 2024, more than anyone else on the Patriots last season.

Clowney is also very familiar with Vrabel’s coaching style and defensive scheme. Vrabel was a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans during Clowney’s first four seasons in the NFL, and the two reunited with the Titans in 2020.

Given his age and most recent contract, Clowney won’t cost much and could help mentor young guys like Keion White.

It won’t make the Patriots the most fierce pass-rushing unit in the league, but taking a flier on a guy like Clowney will at least give Vrabel another guy he knows he can count on.

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