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Patriots coach compares breakout player to another Pro Bowl pass-rusher
"I think he’s got a chip on his shoulder, and he’s got something to prove — getting a home and being somewhere is a big thing for him. He’s playing well.”
A lot of the focus during Patriots training camp has revolved around established free-agent pickups like Stefon Diggs or top draft picks in Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson.
But, one of the top performances so far in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL season has been a Patriots offseason pickup who was expected to be more of a free-agent flier than a key contributor.
The Patriots’ decision to sign K’Lavon Chaisson to a one-year contract this offseason held plenty of merit, especially after New England ranked last in the NFL last season with just 28 sacks on the year.
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Chaisson was expected to be a situational contributor on New England’s revamped defense, with top free-agent pickups like Milton Williams and Harold Landry expected to shoulder most of the pass-rushing burden on New England this fall.
Despite Chaisson’s standing as a former first-round pick (20th overall, 2020 NFL Draft) by the Jaguars, he wasn’t able to build on the promise he showcased at LSU. He recorded just five sacks over his first four seasons in the NFL ranks.
The 2024 season was a step in the right direction for Chaisson, who joined the Raiders practice squad before eventually appearing in 15 games with Vegas. He recorded five sacks over those 15 games, with all five of those sacks coming over a six-game stretch to close out the season.
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So far, it looks as though Chaisson has carried that momentum over to Foxborough, as the 26-year-old pass rusher has been a force so far during training camp and preseason play. According to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, Chaisson has started opposite Landry on defense so far this week — leapfrogging Keion White on the depth chart.
Speaking on Tuesday, Patriots outside linebackers coach Mike Smith doled out plenty of praise for one of New England’s breakout camp players.
“The thing about KC is he’s smart. He’s a vet. He’s seen it. Loves the game of football,” Smith said of Chaisson, per Daniels. “The way he works, the way he prepares,” Smith said. “He’s one of these guys that you talk about stuff, and he gets it pretty quick.
“A lot of these guys you get in free agency on 1-year deals, and they’ve got something to prove. I think he’s got a chip on his shoulder, and he’s got something to prove — getting a home and being somewhere is a big thing for him. He’s playing well.”
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Smith, who served as the Packers’ outside linebackers coach from 2019-21, has found some similarities between Chaisson and former Green Bay standout Za’Darius Smith. After serving as more of a role player with Baltimore from 2015-18, Smith broke out after signing with Green Bay — recording 26 sacks over three seasons while earning two Pro Bowl nods.
“I saw the athleticism. I saw how he plays. How physical he is,” Smith said of identifying players like Za’Darius Smith and Chaisson. “We get guys to sit – how violent we play, there’s nothing pretty about pass rush. Nothing pretty about it.
“Watch Maxx Crosby. Watch Nick Bosa. Watch Za’Darius, any of these guys. They’re violent human beings. Just building stuff off that. You can put the tape on and see how athletic he is. You can find some gold, some guys like that in free agency that can help.”
In Chaisson, the Patriots are hoping that they’ve found another diamond in the rough who can make a sizable impact on an overhauled defensive unit.
“It takes some players a little longer than it takes others, and I would say that I’m hopeful that his best football is in front of him,” Mike Vrabel said of Chaisson in July. “I’m very excited about how he came in personality-wise and what he’s shown on the field thus far.”
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