Patriots' Khyiris Tonga: Has key role for NE in 2025
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Tonga played in 14 regular-season games (eight starts) in 2025, registering 24 tackles and two defensed passes.
Tonga's eight regular-season starts and 336 defensive snaps were the most in his five-year career. He missed four games late in the campaign (including the wild-card win over the Chargers) but played in the Patriots' final three postseason contests and posted seven stops, including 1.0 sacks, over that span. Tonga was playing on a one-year contract and is slated to be a free agent.
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Patriots' Christian Barmore: Has healthy 2025 campaign
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Barmore played in all 17 of New England's regular-season games in 2025, making 16 starts and finishing with 29 tackles, including 2.0 sacks.
Barmore played in only four games in 2024 due to a medical issue involving blood clots. Fortunately, that problem appears to have been resolved given his ability to play in all 21 of the Patriots' contests (including the playoffs) this past year. Barmore signed a four-year contract extension in April of 2024, so he should be back as a key piece of New England's defensive line next season.
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Patriots' Milton Williams: Thrives in playoffs for Patriots
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Williams recorded 29 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, along with a defensed pass over 12 regular-season games (all starts) in 2025.
Williams' first campaign in New England was interrupted by an ankle injury that caused him to miss five contests late in the season. He was able to return to action in Week 18 and then played a big role during the Patriots' playoff run, posting seven tackles, including 3.0 sacks, along with a defensed pass across four contests. Williams will be in the second year of a four-year deal in 2026 and should again be a key component of New England's defensive line.
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Patriots' Harold Landry: Posts 8.5 sacks in first year in NE
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Landry totaled 49 tackles, including 8.5 sacks, along with a forced fumble over 15 regular-season games (14 starts) in 2025.
Landry joined the Patriots last March after seven years with Tennessee. The Boston College product logged his fewest defensive snaps (673) since his rookie 2018 campaign, but he still paced New England with 8.5 regular-season sacks. Landry was bothered by a knee injury in the playoffs and missed the AFC Championship Game against Denver, but he was able to return to play in the Super Bowl against Seattle. However, he logged just 14 defensive snaps. Landry should be healthy by the start of next season, when he'll in the second year of a three-year contract.
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Patriots' Christian Gonzalez: Enjoys another strong campaign
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Gonzalez played in 14 regular-season contests (all starts) in 2025, recording 69 tackles and 10 defensed passes.
Gonzalez missed the first three games of the campaign due to a hamstring injury but was healthy enough to play the remainder of the season. He was a standout in pass coverage, earning his first career Pro Bowl nod. Gonzalez also shined in the postseason, notching 19 tackles (including 1.0 sacks) and seven defensed passes (including an interception) along with a forced fumble across four contests. He'll be in the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, but given his standout play the past two years, it wouldn't be surprising if New England looks to ink him to an extension.
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Patriots' Carlton Davis: Career-high tackles in 2025
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Davis made 69 tackles (39 solo) while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games with the Patriots in 2025. He also had 10 passes defensed.
Davis also logged 20 tackles (14 solo) and four passes defensed, including two interceptions, across four postseason appearances. The standout 2025 free-agent signee has two more years remaining on his contract with New England, and though the team will have a potential 'out' after the 2026 campaign, Davis remains locked in as a starting cornerback for the Patriots next season.
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Patriots' Jack Gibbens: Tallies 81 stops in 2025
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Gibbens made 81 tackles (43 solo), including 1.0 sacks, across 17 regular-season appearances with the Patriots in 2025. He also had four passes defensed and one forced fumble.
Gibbens additionally made 19 tackles (seven solo) across four postseason appearances. After playing out the 2025 campaign on a one-year deal with New England, the 27-year-old linebacker is now slated to become a restricted free agent. As such, the likeliest outcome is that he returns to the Patriots in 2026 to handle a rotational role at linebacker.
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Patriots' Christian Elliss: Records career-high sacks total
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Elliss played in 15 regular-season games (13 starts) in 2025, registering 94 tackles, three defensed passes and a forced fumble.
Elliss's regular-season tackle total was a career-best mark and ranked second on New England behind Robert Spillane. Elliss played in all four of the Patriots' postseason games as well, tallying 19 stops (including 1.0 sacks), two defensed passes, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Elliss is under contract through 2026, so he should again be a key part of the Patriots' defense next season.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Solid first season in New England
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Spillane notched 97 tackles, including 1.0 sacks, five defensed passes (including two interceptions) and a forced fumble over 13 regular-season games (all starts) during the 2025 campaign.
Spillane signed with the Patriots last March after a two-year run with Las Vegas during which he averaged 153 stops per season. While Spillane couldn't quite reach those numbers in his debut campaign in New England, he made an immediate impact as the Pats' leading tackler despite missing the final four games of the regular season due to an ankle injury. Spillane returned for the playoffs and posted 18 stops during New England's run to the Super Bowl in spite of missing most of the AFC Championship Game versus Denver as a result of reinjuring his ankle. Spillane is under contract through 2027 and figures to be a central figure in New England's defense again next year.
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Patriots' Harold Landry: Good to go against Seattle
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Landry (knee) is active for Sunday's Super Bowl LX clash against the Seahawks.
Landry had his practice reps limited over the last two weeks in order to manage a lingering knee issue. He drew the questionable tag after posting an LP-DNP-LP practice log this past week, but the veteran edge rusher has been given the green light to play in Sunday's Super Bowl after not playing in the AFC Championship Game against the Broncos. Landry saw limited snaps on defense in his two playoff outings with the Patriots, and if that's the case against Seattle, then both Elijah Ponder and Anfernee Jennings would be in line for more work.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Cleared for Super Bowl LX
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Spillane (ankle) is active for Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks on Sunday.
Spillane was able to log a limited practice in Friday's session, and that was enough for him to be cleared to play in the final game of the 2025 season. He has accumulated 14 tackles (five solo) and five pass defenses over the Patriots' three playoff games and will start alongside Christian Elliss at inside linebacker.
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Patriots' Joshua Farmer: Remains on IR
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Farmer (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Super Bowl LX on Sunday.
Farmer was questionable to play after being a full participant in practice every day this week, but the team has decided not to activate the rookie from injured reserve. The defensive end's hamstring issue already cut into his opportunity for meaningful experience at the NFL level, and the lack of any postseason experience means the young player may not be ready to be thrown into the fire in the biggest game of the season. The Patriots will enter Sunday's showdown with the Seahawks with Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Leonard Taylor and Cory Durden at defensive end.
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Patriots' Harold Landry: Questionable for Sunday
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Landry (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Landry was able to return to practice in a limited capacity Wednesday before downgrading to a non-participant Thursday. The linebacker ended the week strong by once again upgrading to a limited participant Friday, and his status for Sunday's Super Bowl matchup with the Seahawks remains in question. If Landry cannot suit up, Elijah Ponder and Anfernee Jennings will likely split snaps as the outside linebacker opposite K'Lavon Chaisson, as they did in the AFC Championship Game victory over the Broncos.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Questionable for Super Bowl LX
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Spillane (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Spillane has had six practice opportunities leading up to the big game against the Seahawks, failing to participate in all but Friday's session, where the linebacker logged limited participation. Head coach Mike Vrabel will have to decide if Spillane's ankle issue will hurt the team's ability to slow down Kenneth Walker and the Seahawks' run game. If Spillane is ultimately unable to suit up, Jack Gibbens will likely start at inside linebacker opposite Christian Elliss.
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Patriots' Harold Landry: Sits out again
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Landry (knee) did not participate in practice Thursday.
The outside linebacker aggravated the knee injury during New England's divisional-round win over Houston, missed the AFC Championship Game victory over Denver and didn't practice at all last week. Landry did manage to return to the practice field on a limited basis Wednesday. At this point, it's an open question whether he'll play in Sunday's Super Bowl, and if he can't go, Anfernee Jennings and Elijah Ponder should be next in line to take the field.
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Patriots' Harold Landry: Returns to practice
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Landry (knee) was a limited participant in New England's practice Wednesday.
Landry didn't practice at all last week but managed to make his return Wednesday, albeit in a limited capacity. The 29-year-old was inactive for the AFC Championship Game but is seemingly trending in the right direction toward playing in the Super Bowl. However, if he ends up being unable to play, Anfernee Jennings and Elijah Ponder would likely see increased playing time.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Doesn't practice Wednesday
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Spillane (ankle) didn't participate in New England's practice Wednesday.
Spillane hasn't practiced since the AFC Championship Game, as he's still nursing the ankle injury that forced him to exit the contest early. However, the 30-year-old said that he's confident he'll be good to go for the Super Bowl on Sunday, where he would resume his role as the team's defensive signal caller.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Questionable for the Super Bowl
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Spillane (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Spillane was a non-participant in all three practices this week due to an ankle injury. The linebacker logged just 13 defensive snaps in last Sunday's AFC Championship Game victory over the Broncos and was unable to return after a first-quarter exit. The 30-year-old will have another week to rest and recuperate, and his status for Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks will likely depend on his ability to log consecutive practices in the days leading up to the contest.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Doesn't practice Friday
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Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that Spillane (ankle) didn't practice Friday, Mike Kadlick of CLNSMedia.com reports.
Spillane has now logged consecutive DNPs after sustaining an ankle injury in the AFC Championship Game win over the Broncos. The 30-year-old linebacker led New England's defense in total tackles during the regular season, recording 97 stops over just 13 contests. If he's unable to suit up for the Super Bowl LX matchup against the Seahawks on Sunday, Feb. 8, expect Jack Gibbens to have an expanded role with the Patriots' first-team defense.
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Patriots' Harold Landry: Doesn't practice Thursday
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Landry (knee) was absent from Thursday's practice, Mike Kadlick of CLNSMedia.com reports.
The first-year Patriot missed the AFC Championship win over the Broncos due to a knee injury, and Thursday's DNP suggests he's still nursing the issue. Landry was one of New England's most productive edge rushers in 2025, recording 49 total tackles, including 8.5 sacks, and one forced fumble across 15 regular-season contests. He likely needs to practice in a limited capacity at some point over the next week in order to play in the Super Bowl LX matchup against the Seahawks on Sunday, Feb. 8.
