Under head coach Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots placed a high value on the off-the-ball linebacker position. Whether it was the likes of Tedy Bruschi, Jerod Mayo, or Dont’a Hightower, the second level of the defense was consistently in good hands over the past two decades and a vital part of the unit’s overall success.
Even with Mayo taking over as HC, little is expected to change in that regard (and not just because Mayo is a former ‘backer himself). Looking at the current personnel, it is not hard to see why New England would feel confident in continuing putting a lot on its linebackers’ plate.
Depth chart
At the moment, the Patriots have eight off-the-ball linebackers under contract. That group does not include safety/linebacker hybrids such as Marte Mapu, even though they will play similar roles.
- Ja’Whaun Bentley (8): 27 | Signed through 2025 | $6.27 cap hit
- Jahlani Tavai (48): 27 | Signed through 2027 | $3.45M cap hit
- Sione Takitaki (16): 29 | Signed through 2025 | $3.36M cap hit
- Raekwon McMillan (50): 28 | Signed through 2024 | $1.28M cap hit
- Christian Elliss (53 | ST): 25 | Signed through 2024 | $985k cap hit
- Joe Giles-Harris (44 | ST): 27 | Signed through 2024 | $985k cap hit
- Jontrey Hunter (58): 24 | Signed through 2026 | $800k cap hit
- Steele Chambers (43): 23 | Signed through 2026 | $795k cap hit
The core of the Patriots’ linebacker group consists of Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai, who were the one-two punch at the position last year and project to fill similarly prominent roles in 2024. Joining them on the list of roster locks is offseason signing Sione Takitaki.
Behind those three, however, there are some question marks. Raekwon McMillan is coming off another season missed due to injury — his second in three years — while Christian Elliss and Joe Giles-Harris are more special teamers than true linebackers. Undrafted rookies Jontrey Hunter and Steele Chambers are unproven commodities.
What this all means is that the top-heavy group appears to have some room for competition. Speaking of which...
Camp competitions
The positional battles listed here are not the only ones happening — every player is looking for a job and spot on the roster. That said, the following project to be the most entertaining competitions at the linebacker position.
Christian Elliss vs. Joe Giles-Harris: The Patriots appear to be going away from the core special teamer type they cultivated under Bill Belichick; if you are on the team, the expectation is you offers some value beyond the kicking game. In the battle between Elliss and Giles-Harris that might very well be the deciding factor. While the game’s third phase projects to be their primary responsibility, New England likely also wants them to at least provide emergency depth at linebacker as well.
Raekwon McMillan vs. himself: As noted above, McMillan missed two of the last three seasons due to injury. Nonetheless, the Patriots continued investing in him. Given the uncertainties behind the top three at the the linebacker position, it’s time for the 28-year-old to finally show that he can be a contributor — even in rotational role like the one he had in 2022.
Jontrey Hunter vs. Steele Chambers: Neither Hunter nor Steele appears to be particularly close to the 53-man roster at the moment. That said, the two youngsters might still be competing for the practice squad. There is a chance both make it, of course, but with only 16 such spots available the decision could come down to one over the other.
Stories to watch
Beyond the position battles, here are a few other things we will keep a close eye on over the course of the summer.
Will the Bentley/Tavai duo pick up where it left off? They may not be household names, but Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai were one of the best linebacker duo in the NFL last season. The Patriots obviously feel strongly about their outlook — they wouldn’t have extended Tavai recently, for example — but time will tell whether they can continue their high level of play.
Will Tavai’s role change compared to 2023? Struggling to maintain their depth along the defensive edge, the Patriots were forced to move bot Jahlani Tavai and Mack Wilson at times last season. The edge depth does look better in 2024, but the question is whether this means a new(ish) role is coming for Tavai — or whether he will continue being used as a versatile move linebacker similar to predecessors such as Dont’a Hightower or Kyle Van Noy.
Who will replace Mack Wilson? The Patriots lost Wilson to the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, and with him their primary coverage linebacker from last season. The role eventually has to be replaced somehow, with the aforementioned Marte Mapu as a prime candidate to take over. Sione Takitaki, who was one of the better coverage linebackers in football last year, is another player to watch.
Will the new coaches change anything? After being coached by Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick the last few years, the linebacker room is now being led by Drew Wilkins and Dont’a Hightower. Will the change in coaches result in a change in practice procedure, player development or even defensive schemes? Time will tell.
