Change of Scenery: Harold Landry

Harold Landry spent seven seasons as the Tennessee Titans' starting outside linebacker, but a change of scenery has taken him to the Northeast as a member of the New England Patriots. While many things look to change for Landry, he will reunite with a familiar face in former Head Coach Mike Vrabel. This is a new chapter in the book of Landry and here’s the potential impact it could have for him, the Patriots, and fantasy managers.

Reflecting on the Past

In his seven seasons with the Tennessee Titans was an anchor for their defense. He did miss the 2022 season with a torn ACL, but picked up right where he left off upon his return. Landry played 98 games for the Titans, making 79 starts, with 5293 defensive snaps played, while accumulating career totals of 397 total tackles, 251 solo stops, 63.2% solo rate, 70 TFLs, 102 QB hits, 50½ sacks, two interceptions, 12 PBUs, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He has five seasons of 68+ tackles, including three straight of 70+ with a career average of 66.1 per season. Landry also owns four seasons with nine or more sacks. He has played over 800 defensive snaps each season (882 per year/54 per game), except for his rookie year. His career missed tackle rate sits at 10.4% but he has been well under that number the past few seasons.  

Looking Ahead to the Future

Despite having some young budding stars, New England struggled to find any type of consistent pass rush. They recorded 28 total sacks in 17 games (1.64 per game), which was near the bottom of the league, and their team leader (Keion White & Deatrich Wise) in that category just had five. With a defensive-minded coach in place and the addition of Landry, those numbers hopefully improve. Landry has played for teams that weren’t very good and still reached decent numbers (70/10) in tackles and sacks. He has become more efficient in the last two seasons with his pass rush, as he has recorded 19½ sacks off of 44 pressures (44.3%), compared to the 30½ sacks on 135 pressures (22.5%) pre-injury. 

The Patriots also didn’t have a player who made an impact behind the line of scrimmage as much as Landry. He alone had 16 TFLs last season for the Titans and averaged 17 per season, while New England’s leader a season ago was strong safety Kyle Dugger with eight. Landry’s tackle numbers and effectiveness against the run will also be a He will also be a valuable leader in the clubhouse, who can help develop the younger guys. While Landry does have seven years of service in the league, he’s just 28 years old (turns 29 in June) and has quite a bit left in the tank.

Fantasy Outlook

While a change of scenery can often re-energize a player, it really depends on the structure around him. For Landry, this is an opportunity to continue and build on what he has been doing. He’s back with a head coach that he is familiar with, who utilizes a scheme that he is comfortable in. What has changed is the team around him. While the Patriots have some players with a couple of years of experience, they are still a young group. Landry can and will be a stabilizing force for the defence, who is going to look to him for consistent production. If Landry can continue to provide the 70/10 tackle-sack output that he has previously, this defense will instantly be better.

The Patriots aren’t completely void of talent, as their strength is at safety and they have upgraded the linebacker position. Combine that with the potential of the younger players and this makes it an easy transition for Landry. He should have another 2-3 years of solid production and that makes him a solid EDGE-3 option. His higher tackle numbers make him slightly more appealing than most at the position, whose value is dependent on high sack totals. Landry isn’t going to wow you with big games, but his floor sure will make a lot of fantasy managers happy with the value he’ll provide. If you can get someone to overpay, you take it, and if you can get him at a discount, you take it. Be honest with what he can provide and the value will be there for your teams.

Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy.