With Patriots camp set to open Thursday, we wanted to reset the roster at each position and give you a few things we’ll be keeping an eye on down in Foxborough. So far, we’ve previewed the quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, receivers, and offensive line. In this segment, we break down the defensive line, one of the youngest positional groupings on the roster.
Offseason movement included the departures of Ricky-Jean Francois and Alan Branch, who were (fundamentally) replaced by Danny Shelton and Adrian Clayborn. Two big questions: Can this group — namely those on the edge — do a better job getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks than it did last year? And is this the last season in New England for Trey Flowers, who could be in for a sizable payday if he performs like he has over the last year-plus.
(Oh, and no disrespect to Frank Herron, Trent Harris, and John Atkins, but these are our top 12 defensive linemen.)
No. 1: Trey Flowers
Position: Defensive line/end.
The good: The Patriots’ best pure pass rusher. A high-motor defender with tremendous strength, he’s also stout against the run.
The questionable: Not sure. Maybe he has some overdue library books we’re not aware of? The only real thing that might be a concern is whether or not he’ll let the prospect of being in a contract year and being asked to flip from one side of the defense to the other mess with his head. To this point, that doesn’t seem likely.
Skinny: If he’s not a surprise trade because of his contract situation, he’s the odds’ on favorite to lead the Patriots in sacks and again be their best all-around defensive lineman.
No. 2: Malcom Brown
Position: Defensive tackle.
The good: Two-gapper who holds up well against the run. Sturdy and durable (has played at least 13 games a year all three seasons in the league), he played a sizable role in smothering the Jacksonville running game in last year’s AFC title contest. He’s basically a Dollar Store edition of Vince Wilfork.
The questionable: Can he adapt to playing alongside several new faces up front, including Clayborn and Shelton?
Skinny: Like Flowers, there’s some question about his long-term contract status, which makes him a bit of a wild card when it comes to this summer. But given his background in the system and his body of work, he still has to be considered one of the more underrated parts of the New England defense.
No. 3: Adrian Clayborn
Position: Defensive end/pass rusher
The good: Clayborn has a track record as a quality pass rusher (17 sacks in the last three years, with six coming in one game last year for Atlanta) and good locker room presence. He certainly looked active this spring, and if he can carry that into the fall, he has a chance to make a real impact on this defense. Plus, he’s from Iowa, which certainly helps, at least in the eyes of Bill Belichick.
The questionable: The Patriots like their players to have some versatility, but because of his Erb’s Palsy, he’s pretty much limited to the right side. New veterans occasionally have issues when it comes to getting up to speed while working as an edge presence in New England — how quickly can he get acclimated to the system?
Skinny: We went deep on his potential here, but the bottom line is Clayborn is a guy who has the potential to really provide a boost for this pass rush, an area where the Patriots struggled last season.
No. 4: Lawrence Guy
Position: Defensive line.
The good: Really underrated part of the New England defensive front who played multiple spots last year and was competitive in almost every situation he was put into. Played 37 percent of all the special teams snaps as well.
The questionable: We might be nitpicking here, but while Guy is good at a lot of things, he’s not great at one singular thing. Maybe that’s actually a backhanded compliment? I’m not sure.
Skinny: A solid piece of the New England defensive front, he’ll be an important part of the rotation again in 2018.
No. 5: Deatrich Wise, Jr.
Position: Edge defender with defensive tackle flexibility
The good: A long, angular, tough-to-block presence who finished his rookie year with five sacks.
The questionable: His consistency fluctuated at times last season. Not sure if that was because he hit a rookie wall, or some opponents figured him out. Is he capable of taking on more responsibility in his second year?
Skinny: In a perfect world, he’d follow the same career arc as Flowers, who went from part-timer at the start of his career to full-time terror soon after that. Not sure he can take that big a leap in 2018, but he’ll still be a key part of this defensive grouping going forward.
No. 6: Danny Shelton
Position: Defensive tackle
The good: Big two-tapper who had success at that spot in Cleveland.
The questionable: Weight has always been an issue, and when we talked with him in the spring, he sounded a little overwhelmed at the conditioning requirements with the Patriots.
Skinny: We had a deep dive on him here, but the consensus is pretty much that if he can keep his weight under control and pick up the defense, he has a good shot at being a first- and second-down player this season with New England.
No. 7: Adam Butler
Position: Defensive tackle in sub-package schemes
The good: Closest thing the line has to a quick-twitch defender -- he popped on several occasions last year on passing downs. Smart and engaging, he’s a quick study who should improve from Year One to Year Two.
The questionable: Not nearly big enough when/if opponents run at him.
Skinny: A unique player who has a very specific skill set, he’s managed to build a nice chemistry with his fellow youngster Wise. He’s not going to overwhelm anyone, but if he has a good summer, look for him to be part of the 53-man roster this year.
No. 8: Eric Lee
Position: Edge defender with some linebacker flexibility
The good: Signed off the Buffalo practice squad last year, he stepped in and had 3.5 sacks in six games. He also made a key red-zone pick in a win over his old team last season.
The questionable: Can he display the consistency needed to survive as an every-down player in the New England defense?
Skinny: A smart player who has a varied skill set, his versatility will be one aspect of his game that should get him through to the 53-man roster this season.
No. 9: Vincent Valentine
Position: Defensive tackle.
The good: An aggressive two-gap type, the big Nebraska product looked nimble in the spring after a season on injured reserve.
The questionable: He was on the shelf all last year with a knee problem, and the Patriots went out and got a player in Shelton who does some of the same things he does. Is there room for both of them?
Skinny: Valentine had a good rookie year, but needs to have a good camp to make sure he makes it through.
No. 10: Derek Rivers
Position: Edge defender/pass rusher
The good: Looked OK last summer, and good this spring.
The questionable: His knee left him sidelined all last year, so we don’t really know if he’s capable of succeeding at the NFL level.
Skinny: One of a handful of young defensive players who were out for virtually all of 2017, he needs to show that the knee won’t be an issue when it comes to practicing on a consistent basis. If he can show that, then it’ll be a good start.
No. 11: Geneo Grissom
Position: Defensive end/special teamer.
The good: A quality depth player who has experience in the system and is cost-effective. Played 34 percent of the special teams snaps in 2017.
The questionable: He’s more of a special teamer than a defensive end, at least at this point.
Skinny: We like Geneo as a back-end-of-the-roster type who can provide a special teams boost. Other than that? If he ends up playing significant snaps in 2018 on defense, something bad mist have happened.
No. 12: Keionta Davis
Position: Defensive lineman.
The good: Impressive college resume via UT-Chattanooga — 31 sacks, 19 passes defenses in 50 college games — makes him an intriguing prospect at the professional level.
The questionable: He didn’t play a snap last year because of injury. No one has any real idea how he might respond if asked to play at the NFL level.
Skinny: A wild card. After sitting all last year, he needs to be able to distinguish himself this summer if he wants to have a chance of making the 53-man roster.