New Patriots pass rusher offers inside intel on Texans

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New Patriots pass rusher offers inside intel on Texans

Mark Daniels · MassLive

Thu, Jan 15, 2026 ·

4 min read

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FOXBOROUGH – Darrell Taylor signed with the Houston Texans last offseason to be part of something special. It’s why the edge rusher opted to go down south instead of signing with the Patriots in free agency.

When the Texans opted to release the veteran on Monday, Taylor said it was a no-brainer to come to New England and signed with the Patriots’ practice squad two days later. Now, the 28-year-old is in Gillette Stadium helping his new team prepare for his old team in this weekend’s AFC divisional matchup.

On Thursday, Taylor told MassLive he believes he can provide the Patriots with insight to help them beat the Texans.

“Yeah, I feel like there’s stuff you can help with. You’ve been around. I’ve been there for freaking 10 months,” Taylor said. “I would say, yeah, there’s stuff I can help them out with, but there’s only so much they let me know over there. I didn’t play like that anyway, but I made sure I paid attention. There’s definitely stuff that I can help them with, especially going against that offense. Just going against them in practice every day. So, I feel like I can offer a lot for the Patriots to help us win this game.”

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A second-round pick in 2020, Taylor was quick to emerge as a solid NFL pass rusher with the Seattle Seahawks . After missing his rookie season with an injury, the pass rusher finished with 6.5 sacks in 2021. Taylor put up a career-high 9.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits during the 2022 NFL season and finished with 5.5 sacks the next year.

Taylor was traded to Chicago and played in 16 games last season, making three sacks and nine quarterback hits. This offseason, he became a free agent, and on Wednesday, Mike Vrabel revealed that Taylor was one of the Patriots’ targets.

“I was thinking about coming here once the free agency process started,” Taylor said. “I think my agent probably was leaning a little more toward Houston just because of the background of what they had going on. I wanted to be a part of something really great, too. So, I didn’t really get to finish with them. So, picking up with New England, I’m just hoping that I get a chance to show them what I got and get a chance to help this team do what they want to do.”

This season, Taylor dealt with an ankle injury and landed on the injured reserve on Nov. 5. He played in four games with the Texans, making three tackles. The edge rusher was activated off the injured reserve last week. On Monday, hours before Houston’s playoff game against Pittsburgh , Taylor was released due to the Texans needing roster space for safety Jaylen Reed .

Two days after being let go, Taylor said the Patriots came calling, and he spoke with Vrabel. He noted that the conversation was easy since they had already talked in free agency.

“He was like, ‘We would love to have. We already talked. We already know what you can do,’” Taylor said. “When Houston released me, my agent called me two days later and said that New England was interested. That really made my day, because I didn’t want to be done. Being here is a really big opportunity.”

In the four games played this season, Taylor helped on special teams and defense. He said he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help the Patriots and hopes to be elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s matchup against his former team.

“It’s been a crazy situation,” Taylor said. “Just being with a team for a season and then getting let go before the first playoff game. It’s been tough. But getting the call from New England and talking with my agent and talking to the guys around here, it’s definitely been a wake-up for me just to be able to be back in the playoffs and have the opportunity to be elevated to help this team win. So I feel like in my book that’s a plus for me.”

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