Cory Durden has never sounded like a guy content to blend in, and in New England that edge is becoming part of his value.
There are even moments when Mike Vrabel has to rein him in.
“I’ve got to try to shut Cory Durden up,” Vrabel said. “I’m like, ‘OK, Cory, you made your point.’ ”
That kind of back-and-forth wasn’t happening a year ago. Durden was with the Giants then, before getting waived during final roster cuts. The Patriots scooped him up on the practice squad, moved him quickly to the active roster, and he ended up appearing in every game last season.
Vrabel said Durden brought more than noise.
“He played hard, has great energy, it means a lot to him, it’s important to him,” Vrabel said. “He’s easy to coach.
You can coach him hard, and he usually tries to make the corrections and comes back, and I think he has continued to improve. He’s played well in the run game, flashed a little bit of first and second down pass rush, being able to get into the pocket.”
That progression showed up in the numbers. Durden logged a career-high 383 defensive snaps and set personal bests with 30 pressures and 18 run stops. The one thing missing was his first career sack, and he’s not being shy about the target for this season.
“I feel like I’m a good pass rusher. I want to go get 5.0 sacks this year,” Durden said.
To help chase that, Durden spent the offseason in Las Vegas working with defensive tackles such as Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, learning how the veterans work offensive linemen and pick apart blocking schemes.
Now he’s stepping into a bigger job with the Patriots’ front, taking over the starting role held by Khyiris Tonga. Durden and the rest of the group are also aiming to bring back the run-stopping punch they showed early last season.
After 17 training camp practices, Durden says he likes where he stands.
“I feel like I’ve progressed the way that I need to,” Durden said. “I’m right on track where I want to be. Just trying to be prepared for Week 1 against Seattle, so I feel like I’m right on track.
“In the scheme, I’m playing fast. I know this defense like the back of my hand.
It’s my second year in it, so I know what everybody’s doing around me. So just being able to play fast, it’s very helpful.”
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