The Patriots’ biggest defensive question heading into training camp is hard to miss: what happens up front if the edge-rusher group stays thin and the interior keeps shifting around?
Harold Landry landing on the Physically Unable to Perform list before the first practice only sharpened that concern. Gabe Jacas still hasn’t signed and remains away from the team with no timetable for when he’ll get to Foxboro. And the decision not to re-sign Khyiris Tonga in free agency has only added to the unease around the defensive line.
That’s why some have floated the idea that Eliot Wolf should chase another name from the open market, with Joey Bosa and Jadeveon Clowney among the notable possibilities, or swing a major trade for a bigger fix. But Mike Vrabel appears comfortable with what’s already in the building, and the latest analyst buzz suggests he may have a reason to trust that approach.
One of the breakout names getting attention is also one of the least known: Cory Durden.
Durden arrived after being released by the Giants and ended up playing all 17 games for the Patriots. It was the most productive stretch of his career, with 30 combined tackles, five tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. He added two more QB hits in the postseason, including a clip that became one of the more viral moments from Forged in Foxborough earlier this year.
That kind of finish matters here because the Patriots may need Durden to do more than just fill a spot. Tonga was one of last offseason’s quieter additions, but he became a key part of the defense and helped fuel a stretch in which the Patriots consistently shut down opposing run games and kept some of the league’s top names from reaching 100-plus rushing yards.
Run defense has been a problem for New England in recent years, so Tonga’s departure lands as a real issue. Durden now has a chance to step into that same lane and help absorb the loss, working alongside Christian Barmore and Milton Williams while taking on the dirty work inside.
If he can hold down the top nose tackle job, Durden could turn a short-term opening into something bigger. The glimpses he showed in 2025, especially in the postseason, give him a real foundation heading into Year 2 in Foxboro.
And with the Patriots staring at a brutal schedule, this is the kind of opportunity that can settle a lot of doubts fast. If Durden keeps building on what he flashed late last season, the conversation around the defensive front could look a lot different by the time camp gets rolling.
In Other News...
DeAndre Hopkins Just Showed Up At Patriots Camp For A Reason
DeAndre Hopkins is back around a football operation, only this time the role is different. The veteran receiver has shown up at Patriots training camp this summer while working with the coaching staff and personnel department, giving New England a familiar name in the building as he starts to explore what might come next.
Mike Vrabel confirmed Hopkins is around in that capacity, a notable wrinkle for a player who has spent so long on the field and now appears to be looking toward the sideline. Hopkins has not made anything official about his future, but the expectation is that his playing days are winding down, which makes this camp appearance feel less like a cameo and more like the beginning of a career transition. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Are Mourning The Loss Of A Former Title Team Lineman
Jordan Devey, a former NFL lineman who was part of the Patriots 2014 Super Bowl team, has died at 38, a loss that is resonating with fans who remember the depth and toughness that helped shape that championship run. Deveys NFL path was a long one for an undrafted player, with stops across several teams over an eight-year career, but his place in New England history came with that title season and the ring that followed.
After football, Devey stayed close to the game in a different way, serving as a volunteer coach and mentor at Eagle High School in Idaho. For Patriots fans, his story is another reminder of how many of the players tied to that championship era carried their influence well beyond the field, and the news has left plenty of people reflecting on the life he built after the league. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Just Took Another Unnecessary Shot At The Patriots
Cam Newton found himself back in the news after being laid off by ESPN during the networks annual cuts, and his reaction quickly circled back to New England. Newton said the last time he was surprised by a business decision was when he was released by the Patriots, a remark that landed as another reminder that his relationship with the franchise still carries some edge.
The comment fits a familiar pattern for Newton, who has already drawn heat from Patriots fans for publicly questioning Drake Maye. Even with New England trying to move forward at quarterback, Newton keeps pulling the conversation back to his own exit, which makes every new aside feel less like reflection and more like another shot across the bow. [Read more 🡒]