Former First-Rounder Could Be Patriots ‘Best Offseason Pickup’

The New England Patriots’ 2025 regular season is now just hours away. A battle with the Las Vegas Raiders at 1 p.m. ET is how things will start in the Mike Vrabel era, and the Patriots have a very solid opportunity to snag a win over the Raiders and get the campaign off on the right footing.

Visions for the season ahead are optimistic. Anything is possible when you’re still 0-0. Some people are forecasting a “leap” from quarterback Drake Maye in his second season.

Other predictions involve some of New England’s new faces.

For instance, Boston.com’s Conor Ryan suggested that a lesser-known linebacker signed to a one-year, $5 million deal by the Patriots in March will turn out to be the team’s best offseason pickup on defense.

“K’Lavon Chaisson will be New England’s best offseason pickup on defense,” Ryan wrote.

“Even with (Christian) Gonzalez’s injury concerns, New England’s defense is poised to take a major step forward this fall. The return of Christian Barmore — coupled with New England spending heavily in free agency to bring in names like Milton Williams, Harold Landry … and Robert Spillane — should make New England a far more fearsome defensive unit.”

“After ranking dead last in the NFL in 2024 with just 28 total sacks, a player like Landry with 50.5 sacks on his resume should be a welcome remedy,” Ryan continued. “But New England’s breakout player on defense ends up being K’Lavon Chaisson, who was a one-man wrecking crew during camp practices as an athletic pass-rusher. With players like Williams, Barmore, and Khyiris Tonga wreaking havoc up front, don’t be surprised if an explosive player like Chiasson racks up a double-digit sack total in 2025.”

For fans unaware, Chaisson was the No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft out of LSU by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s bounced around a bit since then. After the Jags declined his fifth-year rookie option in 2023, he signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency but was released prior to the 2024 season. At that point, the Raiders added Chaisson to their practice squad, and he was promoted to the active roster on October 5 of last year.

The Patriots are hoping that Chaisson, still relatively young, will deliver on his first-round talent in a blue and red uniform.