Over the next few weeks, WEEI.com and the “6 Rings” podcast will take a position-by-position look at the Patriots’ roster heading toward the opening of training camp at Gillette Stadium on July 27. While there will still be some potential roster moves made by New England leading up to and through the regular season, for better or worse the talent on the current roster is the talent that will play out on the game field this fall. Today we break down the defensive line and the group’s developing young star.
Defensive Line
Current roster (Year, 2021 GS/GP): Lawrence Guy (12th, 17/17), Davon Godchaux (6th, 16/17), Deatrich Wise Jr. (6th, 9/16), Henry Anderson (8th, 0/0 IR), Carl Davis Jr. (8th, 4/17), Byron Cowart (4th, 0/0 PUP), Daniel Ekuale (4th, 0/7), Christian Barmore (2nd, 2/17), Bill Murray (1st, 0/0 PS), Sam Roberts (Rookie), LaBryan Ray (Rookie), DaMarcus Mitchell (Rookie)
Key losses: None.
Key additions: None.
Overview: The best, most consistent player on the Patriots’ defensive line over the last few years has been captain Lawrence Guy. Guy has been an underrated key cog not only on the defensive front but for the unit as a whole. Now in his sixth season in Foxborough, the 32-year-old Guy has started every game he’s played over the last three seasons and has missed just two games total in his five years in New England. Last fall he started all 17 games and finished with 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery to his resume for a defense that was inconsistent at times against the run.
New England looked to inject youthful talent and life into the defensive line a year ago with the selection of Christian Barmore in the second round. The Alabama product was certainly impressive, playing all 17 games and making a versatile impact on the front while learning to be a professional. At times, his dominant potential was certainly evident.
Veteran free agent addition Davon Godchaux was part of the Patriots’ spending spree a year ago and delivered mixed results. Godchaux had his games but the run defense was never dominant when it need to be and despite starting all but one game, it’s hard to argue he’s played to the level of a cap number that balloons to more than $10 million in 2022.
One of the more unique guys on the defensive line is veteran former fourth-round pick Deatrich Wise Jr. After re-signing with the team he started more than half the games he played a year ago, finishing with three sacks to go along with 41 tackles, four passes defensed and a forced fumble. Wise may never wow with his play, but his ability to contribute across the defensive front and have a positive impact is clearly valued by Bill Belichick.
Similar to Wise, Henry Anderson was brought aboard a year ago to provide veteran versatility but never got the chance thanks to a pectoral injury that cost him the season. It will be interesting to see what the soon-to-be 31-year-old vet brings to the mix this fall.
The rest of the competition on the defensive line combines rotational backup types with young newcomers. Carl Davis has filled the void in need the last couple seasons, as has frequent practice squad call-up Daniel Ekuale, who will open 2022 with a two-game NFL suspension. The sixth-round pick Sam Roberts has impressive physical tools that helped him dominate at FCS’ Northwest Missouri State, though there’s likely to be a developmental period at the very least. Undrafted rookies LaBryan Ray (Alabama) and DaMarcus Mitchell (Purdue) bring differing size and potential to the competitive mix.
Reason for hope: With Guy, Wise, Godchaux and Anderson the Patriots have a strong base of veteran defensive talent to work with up front.
Godchaux should be more comfortable in his role in his second season, even if there was carryover from what he was doing with the Dolphins. He could add more consistency to the run defense and will need to help make life easier on a group of young linebackers that will be learning on the fly. Obviously, though, the biggest reason for hope and optimism on the Patriots defensive line is Barmore. He has all the tools to be a dominant defensive lineman, with the ability to impact the game both against the run and the pass. He’s talked openly about wanting to “finish the quarterback” better after tallying 1.5 sacks and nine QB hits in 55 percent playtime as a rookie last season. Barmore is a big piece of the present and certainly the future of the defensive front in Foxborough, a guy who clearly has Pro Bowl potential as he grows as a professional.
Reason for pessimism: Guy isn’t getting any younger and will probably begin to show his age at some point after being leaned on heavily in New England in recent years. Godchaux needs to be a stout fixture to bring more stability to run defense, helping it get off the field at key times in games. Anderson wasn’t exactly lighting the world afire before getting hurt last summer and Wise is who he is at this point in his career. A lot of eggs will be put in Barmore’s developmental basket this fall and the sophomore is likely to get increased attention from opposing offensive lines. A lot of the success of the Patriots defensive front could be riding on Barmore, who is still a young, immature player at the position and may have his growing pains at times.
Position grade -- B: The defensive line has continuity, experience, versatility, depth and significant potential upside. That’s a description that probably wouldn’t fit too many positions on the Patriots’ roster this summer.
As such, there is reason to believe that the defensive line will indeed be the strength of an overall defense that has plenty of questions to answer as it goes through talent transitions at the second and third levels. At the very least, the defensive line should be among the least of Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo’s concerns.