New England Patriots: 3 players to watch vs Houston Texans

Defensive end Kony Ealy will need to boost his stock versus Houston after failing to meet expectations in his first training camp with the Patriots.

“He hasn’t been getting many reps with the first-team defense”, wrote Musket Fire’s Nick Ziegler of the defensive end struggling to adjust. “For Ealy, the transition to New England has not gone smoothly.”

The former second-round pick was shipped to New England in a trade with the Carolina Panthers earlier this offseason. So far, he’s failed to fulfill the hype.

According to Jeff Howe, during New England’s Day 8 scrimmage, rookie offensive tackle Tony Garcia “had his way” with Ealy. Against the Jaguars, CSN New England’s Mike Giardi noted that rookie tackle Cam Robinson “knocked [Ealy] back 3 or 4 yards” on one play.

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With the recent injuries to rookie defensive ends Deatrich Wise (head) and Derek Rivers (knee), Ealy will receive more opportunities to see the field.

Although Ealy played defensive end with the Panthers, Mike Loyko believes the Patriots “see him as a down [defensive linemen]” rather than an “edge rush guy.” Versus Jacksonville, Loyko pointed out that Ealy “played four alignments” including defensive tackle. In 2016, New England used Trey Flowers in a similar fashion, aligning him anywhere from defensive end to nose tackle.

The Patriots see Ealy’s potential. “He’s a smart kid, he works hard, and he’s building his versatility”, said head coach Bill Belichick in his August 1 press conference. “He’s got the ability to play inside, to play outside on the end of the line, to play in some coverage situations, to have a role in the kicking game”.

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New England will continue to experiment with Ealy; moving him around the defensive line and finding ways to use his tools. As Nick Ziegler writes:

"“While things might not have started as smoothly as Ealy would have liked, there is still plenty of time in training camp to improve.”"

Come Saturday, Ealy will have a good opportunity to change the trajectory of his Patriots career.