Cut Candidate or Breakout Star? K’Lavon Chaisson’s Patriots Future Already in Doubt!

The New England Patriots overhauled their defense this offseason, and a big part of that makeover consisted of repairing their pass rush.

The Patriots' biggest additions along that front were Harold Landry and Milton Williams, but they also made a sleeper signing in the latter stages of free agency: K'Lavon Chaisson.

A former first-round pick, Chaisson came on late with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, logging four sacks over his final six games. On the 2024 campaign overall, he totaled 32 tackles and five sacks.

Chaisson definitely flashed some intriguing potential during the second half of last year, so it's entirely possible he could represent a sleeper for New England in 2025.

However, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox actually feels that the Pats could potentially cut Chaisson before the start of next season.

"While 2020 first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson never played up to his draft status early in his career, he had a solid five-sack season for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. This prompted the New England Patriots to take a one-year, $3 million flier on Chaisson," Knox wrote. "That doesn't mean, however, that Chaisson will stick with the final 53-player roster. New England also signed Harold Landry III, drafted Bradyn Swinson and could save $2.4 million by releasing Chaisson before Week 1."

The Jacksonville Jaguars originally selected Chaisson with the 20th overall pick of the draft five years ago, but he managed just five sacks in four seasons with the Jaguars. He made his way to the Raiders last year, where he finally showed glimpses of why he was a Day 1 pick to begin with.

Still just 25 years old, it stands to reason that Chaisson can continue his upward trajectory in Foxborough, but it's also possible that his run last season was nothing short of a mirage.