Patriots 2024 training camp preview: Linebacker group gives way to competition

Under head coach Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots placed a heavy emphasis on the off-ball linebacker position. Whether it was players like Tedy Bruschi, Jerod Mayo or Dont’a Hightower, the second level of the defense has been in good hands over the last two decades and has played a vital role in the unit’s overall success.

Even if Mayo takes over as head coach, not much is expected to change in that regard (and not just because Mayo is a former backer himself). Looking at the current staff, it’s not hard to see why New England would feel confident in continuing to put a lot of work into its linebackers.

Depth chart

Currently, the Patriots have eight off-ball linebackers under contract. That group doesn’t include safety/linebacker hybrids like Marte Mapu, though they’ll 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 | $985,000 cap hit
• Joe Giles-Harris (44 | ST): 27 | Signed through 2024 | $985,000 cap hit
• Jontrey Hunter (58): 24 | Signed through 2026 | $800,000 cap hit
• Steele Chambers (43): 23 | Signed through 2026 | $795,000 cap hit

The core of the Patriots’ linebacking group consists of Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai, who were the two big men at the position last year and are expected to play equally important roles in 2024. Joining them on the safe list is offseason signing Sione Takitaki.

Behind those three, though, 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 teams players than true linebackers. Undrafted rookies Jontrey Hunter and Steele Chambers are unproven players.

All of this means that the heavyweight group appears to have some room for competition.

Camp Competitions

The position battles listed here aren’t the only ones going on: every player is looking for a job and a roster spot. That said, the following competitions are shaping up to be the most entertaining at linebacker.

Christian Elliss vs Joe Giles-Harris: The Patriots appear to be moving away from the type of special teams player they cultivated under Bill Belichick; if you make the team, you’re expected to provide value beyond kicking. In the battle between Elliss and Giles-Harris, that could very well be the deciding factor. While the third phase of the game is supposed to be their primary responsibility, New England probably also wants them to provide at least some emergency depth at linebacker.

Raekwon McMillan vs. Himself: As noted above, McMillan has missed two of the last three seasons due to injury. Nevertheless, the Patriots have continued to invest in him. Given the uncertainty surrounding the top three at linebacker, it’s time for the 28-year-old to finally show that he can contribute, even in a rotational role like the one he held in 2022.

Jontrey Hunter vs Steele Chambers: Neither Hunter nor Steele appear to be particularly close to making the 53-man roster at the moment. That said, both youngsters could still be in contention to make the practice squad. There’s a chance they both make it, of course, but with only 16 roster spots available, the decision could come down to one or the other.

Stories to see

Beyond the position battles, here are a few other things we’ll be watching closely over the summer.

Will the Bentley/Tavai duo pick up where they left off? They may not be household names, but Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai were one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL last season. The Patriots are obviously confident in their future — they reportedly didn’t extend Tavai’s contract recently, for example — but time will tell if they can maintain their high level of play.

Will Tavai’s role change from 2023? Struggling to maintain depth along the defensive line, the Patriots were forced to move Jahlani Tavai and Mack Wilson multiple times last season. The defensive line depth looks better in 2024, but the question is whether that means Tavai will be given a new role — or if he will continue to be used as a versatile linebacker similar to his 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 cover linebacker from last season. That role eventually needs to be replaced one way or another, with the aforementioned Marte Mapu a prime candidate to take over. Sione Takitaki, who was one of the best cover 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 in recent years, the linebackers room is now led by Drew Wilkins and Dont’a Hightower. Will the change in coaches mean a change in practice procedures, player development or even defensive schemes? Time will tell.

How confident are you in the Patriots’ linebacking group heading into this year’s camp? Head to the comments section to discuss.