New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings has been rumored as a potential roster casualty throughout the training camp and into the preseason.
Though the Alabama product has had his share of ups and downs, Jennings clearly heard the noise from the naysayers by responding with a solid effort during Saturday’s 20-12 preseason victory over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The only question is whether Jennings’ strong showing against Minnesota was enough to earn him a spot on the Pats’ initial 53-man roster.
Jennings entered Saturday’s matchup having seen most of his practice time aligned with the Patriots second-team defense. Still, he largely dominated his Vikings’ competition by compiling three total tackles, four total pressures and three sacks — proving that there is still a great deal of fight left in him. In fact, Jennings standout performance caught the eye of head coach Mike Vrabel, who praised the veteran linebacker from his postgame podium.
"He's done nothing but compete in practice, earn reps, earn opportunities in the game, and take advantage of every one that he's gotten," Vrabel said.
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) reacts to stopping Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10.)
Nov 17, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) reacts to stopping Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
At his best, Jennings is a stout run-defender who adequately sets the edge and serves as a playmaker against the run. He has also developed into a stout pass-rusher, due to his underrated mix of quickness, change-of-direction ability, power and instincts. Jennings’ most prominent strengths remain his toughness and tenacity — both of which were fully observable against the Vikings’ blockers in preseason game 2.
Still, despite his fit in New England’s previous defensive scheme as a sturdy edge-setter, the Pats’ current attacking scheme upfield does not seem to favor Jennings’ skill set. While his abilities as a pass rusher have flashed during second-unit team drills, his place within the Pats depth chart at outside linebacker has become unsettled.
Having entered the NFL as a third-round selection by the Patriots in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Jennings had a relatively quiet start to his pro career. The Alabama product played in 14 games as a rookie in only a situational role. He missed the entirety of his second season due to injury after being placed on injure reserve at the conclusion of training camp. Jennings entered the 2022 season as a backup linebacker. He played in 16 games with three starts, recording 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble.
Fully healthy for the first time in his career, Jennings led the team with 14 tackles for loss, 13 of which came against the run in 2023. He started the final 13 games of the season, playing on 50 percent of the Pats defensive snaps in each of them. He finished the campaign having compiled 62 total tackles, 21 quarterback pressures, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In 2024, Jennings appeared in 16 games (all of which he started) and set career-highs with 78 total tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Should the Patriots decide to move on from Jennings, fellow defenders Keion White and Truman Jones are more than capable of handling the weakside. Yet, his performance against Minnesota proved that he can be effective in any defensive scheme due to his versatility and tenacity. While cutting ties with yet another experienced veteran could challenge their depth at the position, Jennings’ scheme fit —or lack there of — could ultimately be the deciding factor for his Foxborough fate.
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