FOXBOROUGH – Making a return to Massachusetts after a stellar career at Boston College, Harold Landry has the chance to help make this Patriots defense elite.
On Friday afternoon when defensive assistant coaches met with the media in various groups for about 10-15 minutes, I briefly caught up with new outside linebackers coach Mike Smith to talk about what stands out with Landry on film until he gets to work with him in person for the first time starting Monday, assuming he’s at the voluntary offseason workout.
“How tough and physical the kid is,” Smith said. “When you put on film and you watch the kid play, I feel Harold when he plays. I think it says a lot that as soon as he became available, Coach Vrabel signed him. That tells you how much he thinks of him and I’ve been in this league long enough, I know a lot of players and he’s a well-respected guy around this league when he plays.”
The word of the day among every defensive assistant was ‘violence.’ It’s seemingly been the biggest talking point when signing guys in free agency or scouting for the draft. When Smith says he ‘feels’ Landry on film, that’s the violence he’s looking for. But, what does that mean exactly?
“Somebody that’s setting the edge, obviously in the run game. Then, when they’re rushing the quarterback, do I feel them?” he explained. “That’s not just power rushes. It’s bringing that fight to the tackle working an edge. It’s those things…it’s tackling. Is he tackling violently? Is he running his feet through? Those are all things I see from Harold.”
The other major component to the roster construction upon Vrabel’a arrival has been character guys. The locker room already does and will continue to look much different in 2025 and Landry was brought in as one of those players to help shift things back towards the way it was, both on and off the field.
“It’s very important. The best defenses and teams I’ve been around are guys that have that,” Smith added. “It takes time to be that type of person. It’s usually not a guy that’s year two in the league. It’s usually a guy that’s been around, that’s done it, that’s won, that does that type of stuff every single thing, that leadership stuff.
“So, it’s very important. I’ve been on teams you didn’t have it and it’s not fun. Harold is a guy we believe can lead.”