Matthew Judon Makes Bold Claim About Patriots’ Defense

The Patriots’ pass rush was one of the NFL’s most formidable in 2022. Could that group be even better this season?

New England returns every defensive lineman and edge rusher from last year’s team — including perennial Pro Bowl outside linebacker Matthew Judon and ’22 breakout star Josh Uche — and added another potential impact player in the form of second-round draft pick Keion White.

Judon, New England’s sack leader in each of the last two seasons, was asked Thursday to assess how talented the Patriots are along the defensive front.

“This is a very good front,” he told reporters after a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers, via a team-released video. “This is a very good front, run-stopping and also getting after the quarterback. We can mix it up. We can put guys in different positions, whether it’s end, nose, 3-technique, and we can line five straight defensive linemen up and go like that.

“It’s going to be hard to block us.”

That unit has given New England’s offensive line plenty of problems this summer, with Judon, Uche and White all flashing. White also looked dominant in last Thursday’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans, playing as both a hand-in-the-dirt D-end and a stand-up edge rusher.

Veteran D-end Deatrich Wise also is coming a career year, and D-tackles Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, Daniel Ekuale and Carl Davis all are back. Barmore, who impressed as a rookie in 2021, is a breakout candidate after an injury derailed his second season. It’s a deep, deep group.

The Patriots finished last season ranked third in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt and tied for third in total sacks, with improvements by players like Uche (11 1/2 sacks) and Wise (7 1/2) making them less reliant on Judon (15 1/2) to carry their pass rush.

Judon quickly noted, though, that avoiding injuries will be vital for this crew to reach its elite potential. The Patriots already are facing questions there after White left Thursday’s eventful joint practice with an apparent leg injury.

“We’ve got to stay healthy, we’ve got to continue to be humble and work,” Judon said. “It’s not given. Nothing is given. We’ve got to continue to press forward and be better every day.”