The New England Patriots invested major resources in their interior defensive line last offseason. But while most of the money and headlines went to Milton Williams and his massive four-year pact, signing Khyiris Tonga to a one-year deal also proved to be an important move for the team.
One year later, Tonga is off to the open market once again. Will the Patriots again be the team to get his signature or might he be headed elsewhere? Let’s assess his situation to try to get an answer.
Hard facts
Name: Khyiris
Tonga
Position: Defensive tackle/Interior defensive line/Fullback
Jersey number: 95
Opening day age: 30 (7/7/1996)
Measurements: 6’2 1/8”, 335 lbs, 31” arm length, 9 5/8” hand size, 5.07s 40-yard dash, 7.83s three-cone drill, 4.73s short shuttle, 28” vertical jump, 8’9” broad jump, 35 bench press reps, 7.22 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: Chicago Bears (2021), Atlanta Falcons (2022), Minnesota Vikings (2022-23), Arizona Cardinals (2024), New England Patriots (2025-) | College: BYU (2017-20)
A regular on both sides of the ball at Granger High School in West Valley City, UT, Tonga committed to play college football only 35 miles away from his hometown. Following a two-year mission, he joined BYU as a three-star recruit in 2017, and over the course of four seasons appeared in 50 games with 32 starts.
Despite the success he enjoyed as a Cougar, Tonga had to wait until the 250th pick in the seventh round to hear his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft. Once he did, the Bears were the one bringing him aboard. He fared well his rookie season, making the roster and playing 15 games, but a change in coaching staff also put his own outlook in jeopardy. Indeed, Tonga was let go by Chicago ahead of his sophomore campaign.
A brief stint on the Atlanta practice squad was followed by two solid seasons with the Vikings as well as a one-year tenure in Arizona. Tonga found his way to Foxborough in 2025, joining the Patriots on a one-year pact and adding 18 combined regular season and playoff contests to his career totals: he now has played 71 total games, notching 121 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
2025 review
Stats: 17 games (8 starts) | 18 offensive snaps (1.3%), 415 defensive snaps (32.3%), 69 special teams snaps (12.6%) | 31 tackles, 3 missed tackles (8.8%), 4 TFLs | 17 quarterback pressures (1 sack, 3 hits, 13 hurries) | 2 PBUs
Season recap: Coming off what had become a fairly routine season for Tonga in terms of playing time and production, he once again embarked on a trip to free agency. It would end with him signing the most lucrative deal of his career so far, a one-year, $2.1 million pact with the Patriots. While only $1 million of the contract was fully guaranteed, leaving some financial room for error on the team’s part, the veteran defender had an impressive summer and showed himself more versatile than originally imagined.
That versatility manifested itself in two ways, one more talked-about than the other.
As a defensive tackle, Tonga began serving as more than just a one-dimensional space eater in the run game. While that was still a big part of his role with the team, and one he looked good but not spectacular in, he also was increasingly employed in pass rushing situations. That usage began in training camp and did not change during the season.
As a consequence, Tonga finished with the highest pass rush snap rate (52%) of his career. He turned those reps into 17 quarterback pressures, the most he has ever recorded in a single season since arriving in the NFL
The other area of versatility was, of course, playing on offense. Tonga did have a background on that side of the ball from his high school days, and the Patriots — in the grand tradition of their head coach and his former defensive tackle teammates Richard Seymour and Dan Klecko — leaned into that to make him a three-way player.
Tonga only played 1.3% of offensive snaps on the year, but he was serviceable as a big-bodied fullback. He ended the year as one of three players used on offense, defense and special teams alongside Milton Williams and Mack Hollins, and was the only one with double-digit snaps in all three phases (and the first Patriot to do so since Marcus Jones in 2022).
All in all, Tonga was the definition of a role player for the Patriots in 2025. Those roles, however, were generally filled at a high level.
Free agency preview
Free agency status: Unrestricted free agent (RFA)
What is his contract history? Since putting his signature under his four-year rookie contract in 2021, Tonga has exclusively operated on one-year deals from his sophomore campaign on. None of those pacts was particularly noteworthy — as noted above, the $2.1 million he received from the Patriots top the list in terms of annual average value — but they still allowed him to earn a combined $6.2 million over the course of his career, according to Over the Cap.
Which teams might be in the running? There are several teams in need of defensive tackle help, with the Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, Bengals, Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Giants, Falcons and Cardinals all potential landing spots for Tonga. This could lead to a competitive market.
Why should he be expected back? The Patriots run defense had its ups and downs in 2025, and while Tonga alone cannot ensure its quality he would be a good piece to have in the mix. He also is the only proven nose tackle the team currently has available, with Eric Gregory the only other option offering similar size at the heart of the defensive line; his departure would leave a big hole on the roster both literally and figuratively. He also was a good culture fit, and somebody whose arrow kept pointing up through the season even though he missed some time with injury in between.
Why should he be expected to leave? Tonga and the Patriots came close to a contract extension during the regular season, but talks broke down. Since then, his asking price has only gone up and might continue doing so given his list of potential suitors. New England has some financial flexibility, but might only be willing to go to a certain point for a player who, at the end of the day, was on the field for less than a third of defensive snaps.
What is his projected free agency outcome? Despite momentum seemingly building toward a split between the Patriots and Tonga, we predict that the two sides will find a common ground to stay together. To do so, the team will offer him his first multi-year contract since his rookie deal, signing him to a two-year, $11 million pact with around $6-$7 million in guarantees similar to the restructure Davon Godchaux signed with the Saints in 2025.
Now it’s your turn to play GM: What would you do with Khyiris Tonga? Offer him a sizable contract? Or let him leave? Please head down to the comment section to share your plan.
