New England Patriots
The Patriots will have to beat the Bills without K’Lavon Chaisson, who has emerged as a key part of the team’s defensive front.
When the Patriots travel to Orchard Park to face the Bills on Sunday, they won’t have one of their starters along the defensive front with them.
K’Lavon Chaisson has been ruled out of Sunday’s game with a knee injury, the team announced Saturday. The outside linebacker missed the team’s Wednesday and Friday practices, making a limited appearance at Thursday’s practice.
In his first season with the Patriots, Chaisson has become a bit of an unexpected key contributor. He’s started all four games to this point, playing opposite of Harold Landry as the Patriots’ two primary edge rushers. Chaisson has also played 68.3 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps, which is the seventh-highest among all the team’s defenders, per Pro Football Reference.
Chaisson has been quite effective in his expanded role with the Patriots. His 2.5 sacks are the second-most on the team, only trailing Landry (3.5). He’s also one of three Patriots defensive players with a pass-rush win rate of at least 19 percent, ranking 20th among all edge rushers in the stat. Chaisson’s 13 pressures are the second-most on the team as well, per Pro Football Focus.
With Chaisson out, the Patriots will likely rely on Keion White and Afernee Jennings to replace him along the edge. White, now in his third season, entered the year with promise, but moved down the depth chart during training camp and the preseason. He’s played in 34.6 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps this year, logging four total tackles and three pressures so far.
Jennings, meanwhile, seemed to save his roster spot with a three-sack performance against the Vikings in the Patriots’ preseason game. Jennings’s role has been even more limited this year, playing in just 17.7 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps. He’s logged six total tackles, but hasn’t recorded a pressure yet.
Both players will be tasked with trying to generate pressure against a Bills offensive line that’s been one of the best in the league. Buffalo’s third in pass-rush win rate this season, with the Bills’ 1.8 sacks allowed per game tied for the 10th-best mark in the league.
The Patriots signed Chaisson to a one-year, $5 million contract in March after he played well in a limited role for the Raiders in 2024, recording a career-high five sacks. As Chaisson won the camp battle to be the Patriots’ other starting edge rusher, this year marks the first time since 2021 that the 26-year-old has been a regular starter. Chaisson was also selected by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis, and linebacker Jahlani Tavai are among the Patriots players questionable to play in Sunday’s game.
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