The New England Patriots’ defensive line enters training camp with a mix of established veterans and promising young talent. This group is expected to anchor the front seven, providing stout run defense and consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Coaches will closely monitor the competition for starting spots, especially as returning players look to build on last season’s improvements and new additions aim to make an immediate impact.
Depth and versatility are key strengths, with multiple linemen capable of playing across different schemes and positions. As training camp progresses, performance in drills and preseason match-ups will help clarify roles and rotations. The Patriots hope their defensive line can set the tone for a rejuvenated defense as they prepare for the challenges of the upcoming season.
Defensive Tackle
Milton Williams – Williams was worth every penny the Patriots paid him as an Unrestricted Free Agent last season. He is a stud in the middle and has one of the highest pass rush grade from PFF (#9). Williams did get hurt and missed 5 games. He only had 3.5 sacks on the year. Williams was the one player other teams had to game and he was constantly facing double-team blockers. His run defense grade was pretty low from PFF at 48.6. he has things to work on.
Christian Barmore – He was the beneficiary of Williams getting double teamed. Although he had only 2 sacks on the year, Barmore’s pass rush win rate was 10%, which was 6th amongst all Defensive Tackles. However, he too had a bad run defense grade. Barmore is coming into his contract year and after getting his court case dismissed for Domestic Assault, he has that behind him and he concentrate on Football. I expect big things from him this year.
Cory Durden – Durden was a big surprise last year after being claimed off waivers at cutdown day from the Giants. In College he was considered to be a Nose Tackle at 6’4” 305-pounds. Durden came into the league as a UDFA in 2023 with Detroit, then signed with the LA Rams Practice Squad after being cut by Detroit at the cutdown day. He was elevated to the Rams active roster then waived and re-signed to the Practice Squad. In 2024 he signed a futures contract with LA Rams but was cut at the cutdown day. He didn’t sign with the New York Giants until December and went to camp with them in 2025. In 17 games with the Patriots, he had 10 solo and 20 assisted Tackles in 2025. I see Durden as a rotational player with the Patriots taking the role that Khyris Tonga had.
Leonard Taylor – Many people forgot the role that Taylor played on Special Teams with a big Field Goal block that would have tied the playoff game against the Broncos. He didn’t sign with the Patriots Practice Squad until October. He had 8 total Tackles in the three games he played. At 6’3” 304-pounds he is another big body. In 2024 the 24-year-old went undrafted and signed with the NY Jets. He made the Jets 53-man roster and went on to have one pass deflection, 1.5 sacks, and 24 combined tackles. He played two games for the Jets in 2025 who waived him and the Patriots immediately signed him to their Practice Squad. He adds depth to the Patriots Defensive Line.
Joshua Farmer The Patriots drafted the Farmer in the 4th round (137) last season. He contributed 15 total Tackles in 13 games. At 6’4”, 312-pounds he is one of the bigger Defensive Tackles on the team. Farmer showed flashes of his ability and why the Patriots drafted the Florida State player. He should continue to grow into his role as a rotational player and I expect a big jump from him in year two.
Eric Gregory- Gregory was undrafted in 2025 out of Arkansas and signed with Cincinnati. After initially making their 53-man roster he was waived on August 28th, hoping to re-sign him to their Practice Squad. The Patriots claimed him and he spent the season on the 53-man roster with 8 Tackles in 6 games played. He had a knee injury in January and as placed on IR. The 6’3”, 319-pound DT adds great depth to the team. He will be fighting for a roster spot in camp and is not a lock to make the team out of camp.
Jeremiah Pharms – Pharms came out of Indoor Football with the Wichita Force and Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL before signing with the Patriots in 2022. He was cut at the cutdown and initially signed to the Practice Squad. He has bounced between the Practice Squad and 53-man roster and signed two future contracts with the team. In 2025 he signed a two-year contract but was cut and re-signed to the Practice Squad. In December he was elevated to the 53-man roster and then signed another futures contract with the Patriots in January. The 6’ 2”, 300-pound DT is a little undersized and he will be fighting for a spot on the team. I don’t have him making the team unless there is an injury in camp.
David Blay – The Miami product is an undersized (6’3”, 292-pounds) DT. The UFA had a breakout season in 2024 with Louisiana Tech with 46 tackles. He entered the transfer portal and moved onto bigger things at Miami. In 2025 he posted 28 Tackles in helping Miami on the road the National Championship loss to Indiana. Blay will have a difficult time making the 53-man roster and is more likely playing for a chance on the practice squad.
Travis Shaw – The 6’5”, 342-pound UDFA Nose Tackle is what the Patriots defense is missing. They need that wide body space eater to stop the run, in short yardage situations. The former North Carolina Tarheel played three seasons in Chapel Hill with 37 Games and 55 Tackles. He transferred to the Texas Longhorns for 2025 and played in 13 Games with 13 Tackles. He is a real long-shot to make the team and he would have to show more than he did in college to make the team.
Defensive End / EDGE
Elijah Ponder – The 2025 UDFA was the surprise of camp last year. He followed that up with a terrific rookie year in which he had 4 sacks, the same amount as #3 pick Abdul Carter. Ponder played at Cal Poly and had 27 sacks in his career. The 6’3”, 261-pound Ponder ran a 4.63 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. I was very excited when the Patriots signed Ponder as an UDFA. When Harold Landry went down with a knee injury, Ponder emerged over fellow rookie Bradyn Swinson as the designated pass rusher. I expect a big jump from Ponder in year two.
Bradyn Swinson – It was tough rookie year for Swinson. The 5th round (146th) selection was viewed as a steal because he was ranked as a top 100 pick by experts. He struggled and was beat out by UDFA Ponder. Swinson transferred to LSU from Oregon after three years and blossomed with 35 tackles in his 1st year and 58 Tackles in his final season. He also had 8.5 sacks which was a career high. However, the criticism is that Swinson only did it for one season. The 6’4”, 255-pound edge didn’t run a 40-yard dash at the combine or Pro Day. The reason is that his estimated time is 4.8 which is slow for an edge player. NFL Draft Scout had him with an estimated 4.76. Let’s see what kind of improvement that Swinson can make in his second year. He is not a lock to make the team.
Harold Landry – Landry is a steady professional that is better against the run and a good pass rusher. He is coming off a knee injury and will be handled delicately as the training camp goes on. I wouldn’t be surprised if Landry starts camp on PUP. I expect Landry to be an early down Edge and replaced on passing downs.
Jesse Luketa – Luketa was signed to a Futures contract in March. He played three years for Arizona since being drafted by them in 2022 in the 7th round (256). In those three years he was a primarily a Special Teams player with only 3 starts in his career. Last season he spent the entire year on the LA Rams Practice Squad. The 6’3” 260-pound Edge ran a very poor 4.89 40-yard dash at he is Pro Day. I don’t have him making the team.
DreMont Jones – Jones was the player I wanted for the Patriots in Free Agency. He can set the edge against the run and be an effective pass rusher. He is not as good a pass rusher as K’Lavon Chaisson. In 2025 Jones was traded from Tennessee to Baltimore at the trade deadline. This trade forced Jones to play 18 games during the regular season missing out on a bye week. He played in 9 games for each team and collected 43 Tackles and 7 sacks. Jones came into the league in 2019, selected in the 3rd round (71st) by Denver from Ohio State. Jones will help the run defense but he may be a slightly less effective as a pass rusher.
Gabe Jacas – When the Patriots moved up in the 2nd round to select Jacas I was ecstatic. He was the one Edge player I thought they could get. that had it all, pass rush ability while being stout against the run. Then the bombshell hit when Jacas wasn’t a participant in rookie camp or OTAs. It was revealed that Jacas had a knee procedure after the draft. It appears the Patriots knew nothing of this and that it was not authorized. The Patriots would not give him an agreement to participate without jeopardy of injury. He remains unsigned and has missed valuable time with the team. It appears he will not be signed until he can pass a physical. Hopefully that will happen soon. The Patriots may want some type of insurance against the injury built into the contract which is holding up his signing.
Quintayvious Hutchins – Hutchins was drafted in the 7th round (247). The 6’3”, 245-pound Edge played at Boston College. I felt the Patriots used their 6th and 7th round draft picks on players that should have been UDFAs and the team took them so that they wouldn’t have to compete for their services. I didn’t like the Hutchins choice. In his 4-year career at the Heights, Hutchins only had 72 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. Hutchins did run a 4.74 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Hutchins played Special Teams at BC while also playing one year at Tight End. His best chance of making the team will be on Special Teams.
Xavier Holmes – Holmes was a Rookie Mini-Camp camp invitee and signed after the camp concluded. The EDGE played four seasons of college football at Maine before capping off his career at James Madison during 2025. At 6-foot-2, 252-pounder, Holmes played in 14 games last season and finished with 30 total tackles, 6 sacks, 1 interception, 4 passes defensed and a blocked kick. Holmes ran a 4.79 40 at his Pro Day. He is a longshot to make the 53-man roster, and his best chance will be as a Practice Squad player. Watch him on Special Teams in Pre-Season games. That is a way he could make an impact and secure a spot on the team.
ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Under Investigation for Fraud
You have seen his face and read numerous columns of his work as an NFL Draft Scout on ESPN. Matt Miller has risen to the top of his profession. He was once the lead NFL writer at Bleacher Report and started his own Newsletter. Miller was involved in a horrific automobile accident recently where he lost his arm. That was only the beginning of his troubles. He is now under investigation for fraud by the Missouri Attorney General.
Miller created 91 Fantasy Leagues on Sleeper with the provision that half the money was going to charity and the other half was being paid out to winners. The AG received 40 complaints against Miller from winners who never got paid. Upon further investigation the Charity that Miller referenced doesn’t exist and has never been registered with the state of Missouri.
You might remember back in 2021 that Matt Miller’s “The Draft Scout” was sponsoring our Draft Contest with the prize being a year subscription. Miller reneged on that promise after I had spent numerous articles promoting his subscription service. The prize was never awarded. I guess what goes around, comes around and karma is a b***h.
Support Mark and buy him a coffee.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
