The New England Patriots made a conscious effort to upgrade the interior of their defensive line this offseason. Milton Williams became the highest-paid player in team history, and Christian Barmore returned after playing only two games in 2024 due to off-field health issues.
Khyiris Tonga was added as a nose tackle, and the team traded up in the fourth round for Florida State's Joshua Farmer.
The defensive line is far improved, and what New England has gotten out of their depth has been particularly impressive. Tonga has had the best season of his career, and Farmer has been noticeable in his limited snaps. Practice squad elevation Cory Durden has played over 300 snaps and is PFF's seventh-best pass rusher at the position.
Milton Williams missed several weeks with a high ankle sprain and only began practicing again this week. Tonga will miss time with a foot injury (likely 1-2 weeks), and Farmer was placed on IR after leaving the Ravens game with a hamstring injury.
Once again, New England will likely have to call upon UDFA Eric Gregory to play a major role across the next two weeks.
Eric Gregory has been a hidden gem for the Patriots in 2025
An undrafted rookie from Arkansas in April, Gregory got his start with the Bengals before being released at the end of August, despite initially making the final 53-man roster. The Patriots claimed him the next day.
During his time with the Razorbacks, Gregory played over 2,200 snaps. He finished with PFF grades of 74.7 and 75.3 during his final two seasons, and had grades against the run of 81.0 or better in that timespan.
He had four sacks during his final year, as many as his previous three seasons combined. 2024 also saw him record career highs in tackles and run stops, along with a career-low missed tackle rate.
Gregory hasn't played extensively this season and was a healthy scratch until their Week 11 matchup against the Jets. From Week 11 to Week 13, he would see 54 snaps combined. He'd see his next game action on SNF against Baltimore, recording a career-high 74.6 PFF grade on 22 snaps, also a career high.
The rookie will be asked to step up, as Williams returns to the lineup for the first time in over a month. With Tonga and Farmer nursing injuries, too, a true nose tackle like Gregory will be needed. I'd expect him to see an even further uptick in snaps over the next two weeks, especially against a pair of teams with instability at quarterback and great running backs.
Both teams rank in the top half of the league in run play percentage, while more than half of Miami's plays over the last three weeks have been runs.
Gregory has made a real impact in limited opportunities, and his development is a testament to the strong development skills of the coaching staff. Expect to see #55 get some extensive game action over the next two weeks.