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Editors note: This is the fifth story in a 10-part series looking at the most intriguing New England Patriots players ahead of training camp.
Previously: Kyle Williams, Christian Gonzalez, Gabe Jacas and Romeo Doubs Early last season, Harold Landry looked like a steal of a free-agent signing for the Patriots.
An edge rusher who was seemingly returning to dominant form and emphatically answering questions about whether he could still get after the opposing quarterback.
Advertisement In Week 6, however, Landry suffered a knee injury that lingered throughout the season while the veteran tried to play through it.
He went from posting a pressure rate of 16.2 the first five weeks (24th best in the league at that point) to just 10.9 the rest of the way.
He still led the Patriots in sacks with 8.5, but the early-season dominance dissipated.
Still, the Patriots didnt do much this offseason to change Landrys role or playing time.
Theyre still leaning on him, even coming off the injury and entering his age-30 season.
The injury treatment continued into the offseason, and his status entering the 2026 campaign makes him one of the teams most intriguing players as training camp nears.
History Landry was part of Mike Vrabels first draft class with the Tennessee Titans, selected in the second round in 2018.
He became a starter in 2019 and recorded at least nine sacks in four of the six seasons he played for the Titans (not including the 2022 season that Landry missed after tearing his ACL).
Last offseason, Landry signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with the Patriots to reunite with Vrabel.
It was a deal that was met with skepticism, considering that Landrys advanced pass-rushing grades had fallen.
Before the knee injury, Landry silenced those critics at the start of the year.
He posted 49 tackles to go with those 8.5 sacks in 15 games last season.
Offseason recap I dont really know where its at right now because hes going through the rehab process, Vrabel said of Landrys injury in March.
I think that anybody who watched tape (of last season) could see Harold before hurting his knee and then after, Vrabel continued.
Hes a player that cares deeply about the team and his performance and the impact that he makes, so I was disappointed for him.
But like everything else, he works his tail off right now to get back.
Advertisement Landrys rehab hasnt been swift.
He didnt participate in spring practices with the Patriots as they continue to treat his injured knee.
Well just keep working to make sure that hes ready to go when we need him, Vrabel said in June.
X-factor In a surprising move, the Patriots didnt go all out this offseason in seeking help at edge rusher despite Landrys lingering injury.
They didnt re-sign KLavon Chaisson, opting to replace him in free agency with DreMont Jones.
In the second round, they drafted Gabe Jacas, whose own rehab process kept him from participating in spring drills.
All of that means the Patriots depth at edge rusher could be tested this season.
And that means it might be difficult for defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr to generate pressure.
A year ago, Kuhr used exotic blitzes to manufacture a pressure rate that ranked 12th in the NFL in the second half of the season.
He leaned on the leagues fifth-highest blitz rate over that time.
If the Pats cant generate much from their edge rushers, they may again have to be a blitz-happy team.
Reasons for optimism Despite the preseason concerns, Landry showed he can still play at a high level when hes healthy.
And, lets be honest, spring practices dont matter that much for a guy who has already played 113 NFL games, most of them with Vrabel as his head coach.
He knows what Vrabel is looking for and knows how to play the position.
If he can get his knee healthy, the first five weeks of last season showed there is a lot of reason for optimism.
Reasons for concern Quite simply, the Patriots need Landry.
Coaches have said the right things this offseason about not being worried about Jacas strange offseason.
Theyve expressed how confident they are in the depth pieces behind Landry, like Bradyn Swinson and Elijah Ponder.
Advertisement The reality is that this is a team with Super Bowl hopes.
That lack of depth and their reliance on inexperienced, lowly-drafted players are fine for a rebuilding team, but not one that wants to lift the Lombardi Trophy in February.
Its admirable that Landry was willing to play through the injury a year ago, but if it continues to linger, Landrys form could dip below starter level.
What to watch in camp Given Landrys injury and veteran status, it wont be a surprise if Vrabel has him on a snap limit, similar to the way that right tackle Morgan Moses, 35, wont take every snap at practice.
And it shouldnt be concerning if he is on a snap count, as long as Landry looks explosive when he is playing.
For Landry, training camp is less about how much he practices and more about how he looks when he does.