5 defensive linemen the Patriots should consider in free agency

With a majority of DTs hitting free agency, the Patriots have a dire need for playmakers at the position.

Javon Hargrave (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Javon Hargrave, 27, spent his four NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He plays a traditional nose tackle role and dependability has a been a huge factor he’s possessed. Hargrave started 52 games in Pittsburgh and played in 63 of 64 potential games.

Hargrave stands at 6-foot-2, 305 pounds and carries a little more agility than Reader and Pierce. He’s recorded 10.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss 14 quarterback hits in the past two seasons, which would be ideal for New England’s man-heavy defense.

Spoctrac has a projected five-year, $73 million contract for Hargrave this season, but the Patriots could potentially use their winning history to slim that down slightly. It’ll be a tough sell for the Patriots to make a move like this for a defensive lineman, but the need could be there if they lose out on Shelton or Butler.

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