Patriots sign veteran edge rusher to 1-year contract

New England Patriots

Jesse Luketa has posted 31 total tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble during his NFL career.

Ahead of next week’s free-agent feeding frenzy, the Patriots bolstered their depth chart on Thursday.​

The Patriots announced that they have signed linebacker Jesse Luketa, with NFL insider Jordan Schultz reporting that it’s a one-year deal.

The 27-year-old outside linebacker has appeared in 31 career games, including three starts. He has posted 31 total tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble during his NFL career.

Those three sacks came during the 2024 season with the Cardinals — appearing in 10 games that season before suffering a season-ending thigh injury. When the former Penn State linebacker was cleared to return from injury, he spent the final months of the 2025 season on the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad.

​While Luketa could serve as a practice-squad option for New England, the Patriots could be prioritizing depth in their pass-rushing corps — especially given the uncertainty regarding K’Lavon Chaisson’s return as a pending free agent.

​If Chaisson doesn’t re-up with the Patriots, New England must find other avenues to replicate his production — especially with returning veteran Harold Landry Jr. also a question mark after being limited with a nagging knee injury last year.

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.