Going into training camp and for much of the offseason, the depth at edge rusher remains a concern for the Patriots and has only worsened since the team announced that Harold Landry was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list ahead of their first practice.
Couple that with rookie Gabe Jacas, who remains unsigned and away from the team with no timetable for when he will finally be in Foxboro, on top of the negativity surrounding the team's decision not to re-sign Khyiris Tonga in free agency, and there are plenty of concerns surrounding the state of the defensive line.
It has prompted many to suggest that Eliot Wolf sign one of the remaining notable free agents, such as Joey Bosa or Jadeveon Clowney, or pull off a big-time trade for their next franchise superstar. But it's clear that Mike Vrabel feels confident in the roster they currently have, and, based on the most recent batch of analyst predictions, it appears the head coach has good reason to feel that way.
There are a few players who are already labeled as breakout candidates, one of whom is widely unknown but began to stand out near the end of last season.
That player is Cory Durden, who joined the Patriots after he was released by the Giants, suiting up for all 17 games and recording his most productive season to date with 30 combined tackles, five for a loss, and a quarterback hit. He even added two more QB hits in the postseason, resulting in one of the more viral clips from Forged in Foxborough earlier this year.
Based on what he showed he could do, there are reasons to believe he could help fill the void left by Tonga on the defensive line, since Durden has a massive opportunity to take over that role immediately.
There might be reason to believe that the Patriots have a hidden gem in Cory Durden
As one of the more overlooked signings of last offseason, Tonga went on to become an integral part of the defense's success and played a major role in their impressive streak of shutting down opposing running backs and not allowing some top names to record 100+ rushing yards.
Stopping the run has been a weakness for the Patriots in recent years, so seeing some of their most notable additions make it one of their strengths was a nice surprise, making Tonga's departure even more concerning ahead of the upcoming season.
But that presents an opportunity for a player like Durden, who can continue to make a name for himself from his contributions on game day. He can step into the role Tonga held last year and take down running backs while also disrupting any offensive plays, alongside the superstar duo of Christian Barmore and Milton Williams.
As the top nose tackle, however, Durden could earn himself a longtime role on the defensive line with a performance to remember this summer, as long as it translates to the regular season.
The glimpses of great play we saw in 2025, especially in the postseason, are a reason Durden feels confident going into Year 2 in Foxboro, and that should give fans a reason to believe, too. If he can take advantage of the presented opportunity and rise to the occasion, then the concerns around the defensive roster could quickly vanish.
Accomplishing that against some of the best teams in the NFL, since the Patriots are about to face a brutal schedule, would shut down any doubt about what Durden can do and further prove that the Patriots are a well-coached team and can get the best out of otherwise forgotten players.
That would be the most ideal situation for all involved, so let's hope we see the start of that early in training camp.
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