New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots were quite busy this offseason, particularly when it came to adding talent on the defensive side of the ball. While they made a handful of splashy signings in free agency, one of the more underrated additions was linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson.
The No. 20 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, Chaisson struggled during his first four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before latching on with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. In 15 games, Chaisson racked up career-highs in sacks (five) and tackles (32), as he showed off his sky-high potential.
The Patriots decided to take a flier on Chaisson in free agency, signing him to a one-year, $5 million contract. While the additions of guys like Milton Williams, Harold Landry III, Carlton Davis III, and Robert Spillane caught more attention, Chaisson could be an immediate contributor for this team in Week 1.
Furthermore, Chaisson is very motivated to show the NFL what he’s capable of. A recent clip of him working out with one of his former teammates, superstar pass-rusher Maxx Crosby, will only get Pats fans more excited for what they are hoping is Chaisson’s breakout campaign.
If there’s anybody that Chaisson could learn something from, it’s Crosby. While Crosby didn’t enter the league with the first-round billing that Chaisson had, he’s turned himself into one of the most disruptive defenders in the league, earning a Pro Bowl selection each of the past four years.
In six seasons, Crosby has racked up 59 1/2 sacks, which averages out to nearly 10 per season. He’s also tallied at least 13 tackles for a loss in each season, leading the league in that category in both 2022 (22 TFL) and 2023 (23 TFL).
Crosby’s incredible motor has made him a three-down defensive end, which is something any player at his position strives for. To see Chaisson working with him in an effort to improve his game is something that should make Patriots fans quite happy.
Of course, Chaisson has to go out and deliver the goods once he’s on the field, which isn’t exactly something he’s done early on in his career. If he can take something from his time with Crosby, though, the former first-round pick could surprise a lot of folks in 2025.
