To hear Dre’Mont Jones tell it, the New England Patriots’ edge group is far from the biggest question mark on their roster. The veteran defender believes his crew is “an underrated group, and the world’s going to see how good we can be.” That’s a bold claim, especially with external questions swirling around the position, but it’s one head coach Mike Vrabel has backed up, standing by his current group through early off-season comments and into training camp.
Pats Invest Big In Jones For Immediate Impact
The Patriots clearly believe in Jones’s ability to transform their defensive front. They brought him in on the first day of free agency with a significant three-year, $39.5 million contract, specifically to bolster both their pass rush and run defense along the edge. Coming off a career season where he racked up seven sacks, the 29-year-old is set to join Harold Landry III at the top of the depth chart once Landry is activated off the PUP list. This tandem is expected to be the core of their veteran presence, setting the tone for the season ahead.
Young Guns Ready To Make A Leap?
Behind Jones and Landry is a youthful group, and Jones sees some serious potential brewing. He’s already taken notice of Elijah Ponder, Bradyn Swinson, and second-round draft pick Gabe Jacas, who just inked his rookie deal on Sunday. Jones is absolutely hyping Ponder, declaring, “Elijah, he can be the truth… He’s going to be a helluva player. I think Pats Nation got a steal.” Swinson also received high praise, with Jones stating, “Swinson, he can be a killer in this league. They definitely have the building blocks to be great.” These are the kinds of endorsements that could ignite some serious excitement for the upcoming regular season if these young players truly emerge.
Waiting For The Pads To Pop
While the defensive unit as a whole had a positive practice on May 27, the defensive front hasn’t fully unleashed its power in the non-padded sessions yet. We’ve seen a couple of batted passes from Jones and Swinson, showing flashes, but veteran safety Kevin Byard is eager for the real action to start. “When the pads come on days into training camp, I expect those guys to start making a lot more plays,” Byard said, acknowledging that the defense has still “been having a lot of fun the first couple days.” It sounds like once those pads start popping, we’ll get a much clearer picture of just how “underrated” this Patriots edge group really is.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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