Previewing the Positions: Will the Patriots Address Their Need on the Edge?

In the wake of the New England Patriots 2021 season, Patriot Maven provides analysis on the New England Patriots defensive end position and the potential moves to be made heading into free agency.

The New England Patriots overcame a 2-4 start to the 2021 NFL season, to finish with a 10-7 record and earned a playoff berth after a one-year absence. Still, the Pats face a great deal of questions as they head towards the 2022 season. Despite a seven-game win streak, which briefly returned New England to the top spot in the conference, a late-season slide caused a slip in the standings. The Pats season came to a dismal finish on Wild Card weekend with a 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

While New England begins the process of building their roster for the upcoming season, there are plenty of areas in which the Patriots will seek improvement. The Pats will take stock in their performance in all three phases by examining each positional grouping and evaluating their output.

As the team heads into 2022, here is a look at the key players at defensive end/EDGE, as well as three potential free agent targets from outside the organization.

The Incumbents

Deatrich Wise, Jr.

As he prepares to enter his sixth season in New England, Wise has become a mainstay in the Patriots pass rush. At 6-foot-5, 275-pounds, he has provided the Pats with the size and length to make him a dual contributor in both run and pass defense. In addition to his 17 career sacks and 172 total tackles, he continues to exhibit great field awareness. It was this combination of skill and system knowledge that led New England to sign him to a four-year, $22 million deal in the 2021 offseason. Despite his logistical fit within the Pats defense, Wise has found success in Foxboro primarily as a result of his versatility. Ever since he arrived in New England, he has been employed all over the Patriots’ defensive line. He was originally used as a rotational edge that was moved inside on select passing downs. However, he has also spent time as a 3-4 tackle and sub-package defensive end. As a result, Wise figures prominently in the Pats’ plans at defensive end for the upcoming season.

Chase Winovich

Despite having yet to live up to expectations, Winovich remains on the list of defenders that could have a significant impact on the Pats front seven in 2022. When he is at his best, Winovich brings a non-stop motor to the edge rush/outside linebacker position. As such, the Patriots appear open to him continuing in that role this season. To do that, however, he must see the field. Throughout his three seasons as a pro, Winovich has been hampered by various injuries. Still, he remained intent to focus on his consistency; especially when it comes to funneling run plays into the middle. As a result, many expected him to see notable snaps as an off-the-ball defender, or as a package-specific pass rusher.

However, things have not exactly gone according to plan for both Winovich and the Patriots, thus far. Last season, New England’s former third-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft registered 6 solo tackles, one quarterback hit and zero sacks in 113 defensive snaps. He has also played 161 snaps on special teams, primarily in the kicking game. Still, what might be most surprising is that Winovich logged only 14 percent of New England’s defensive snaps in 2021. The Michigan product played on 58 percent in 2020. He did not take a defensive snap for New England during their playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, leading many to question his continuing role in New England.

Henry Anderson

Defensive tackle Henry Anderson arrived in New England with a great deal of promise. However, injury would prevent him from reaching his potential in Foxboro. The 30-year-old was sidelined for the season after suffering a torn pectoral during New England’s Week Four matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The versatile lineman had played a limited role in the Pats defense to that point, compiling only three solo tackles.

Anderson agreed to a two-year deal with New England, with the potential of being worth up to $11 million, during the 2021 offseason. While the price tag may seem hefty for a player who scarcely contributed to the team in 2021, the Stanford product has the skills to thrive in the Pats’ front seven. Having spent three seasons in the AFC East, the former New York Jet is well-versed in the numerous offensive schemes within the division. Listed at 6’6” 301 pounds, he posted the third-highest run-stuff rate among players with at least 500 defensive snaps in 2020 (cred: NFL Next Gen Stats).

Anderson had performed well in training camp, routinely applying pressure to the quarterback, while quickly getting into position to stuff the run. His presence was expected to help bolster a Patriots line, which had its problems against the run in 2020. Anderson was hoped to have provided assistance with rushing the passer as well, notching seven sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 2018. Clearly having something to prove in 2022, Henry Anderson should parlay the trifecta of motivation, skill and (hopefully) good health to good use for the Pats in the upcoming season.

Three Potential Patriots?

Chandler Jones

Might the former first-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2012 be in line for a return to Foxboro? In short, highly unlikely. Jones was traded from the Pats to the Arizona Cardinals prior to the 2016 season. During his time in Arizona, Jones has developed into one of the league’s elite edge linebackers and most disruptive pass rushers in football.

The soon-to-be 32-year-old will likely be seeking a lucrative deal, preferably with a contending team. However, scheme fit will be a determining factor in his destination, as well. Jones is not only familiar with New England’s system, but his style of play makes him a great match for the Pats’ heavily schemed. Imagining a pass rusher of his prowess, paired alongside Matthew Judon is enough to greatly excite Patriots fans, and with good reason.

Unfortunately, Jones is projected to receive an offer with a per-year value between $14 and $15 million. With the Pats currently possessing just over $9.5 million in available cap space, pursuing Jones is probably a long shot, at best.

Rasheem Green

In the aftermath of trading star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, paired with the release of linebacker Bobby Wagner, the Seattle Seahawks may be in for a tumultuous offseason. As a result, Green may be there for the taking. The 24-year-old compiled a career-high 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 15 quarterback hits in 2021. Green also had 32 pressures and 20 hurries on 67% of the defensive snaps. His performance earned him a starting spot within Seattle’s front seven.

Though Green requires some development when it comes to run defense, his age and potential make him an intriguing option for the Patriots at defensive end. Should the Pats take a flyer on him, it would have to be on a team-friendly deal. Still, Green has the potential to be a steal in the 2022 feee agent class.

William Gholston

If Bill Belichick and the Patriots coaching staff were to prioritize of their favorite traits in a defender, they might be versatility, affordability and availability. With Gholston, they would be getting all three. The 30-year-old is able to line up at nearly every position on the defensive line. In 2021, Gholston set a career-high with 4.5 sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His field prowess would make him a solid addition to the Patriots defensive front, while his experience would help him to mentor some of the younger players on the team, as well as the incoming 2022 rookies.

Should he be willing to accept a reasonable deal, Gholston is likely to provide some of the best return-on-investment of any available free agent, having not missed a single game throughout the past four seasons.