Patriots Position Breakdown: Defensive Line Depth Looks Shaky

Welcome to Patriots Position Breakdown, a 10-part series on NESN.com where we dive deep into each of New England’s position groups prior to the start of training camp.

Christian Barmore got paid this offseason, inking a four-year, $92 million contract extension that will tie him to New England through 2028.

It was a smart move to make for the Patriots, as it falls in line with how they’re looking to approach things under Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo and likely will be on the cheap side by the time things run out.

Barmore becoming the highest paid player in franchise history not named Tom Brady didn’t come without some tough decisions, though. Lawrence Guy was cut in February. Davon Godchaux is angling for an extension, but talks don’t seem to have gone anywhere. Armon Watts was the only addition to a group that underwent a ton of turnover throughout last season.

The Patriots have high-end talent along the defensive front, but it doesn’t appear depth will be a strong suit.

Roster Overview

– Christian Barmore
– Deatrich Wise Jr.
– Keion White
– Davon Godchaux
– Armon Watts
– Daniel Ekuale
– Sam Roberts
– Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
– Trysten Hill
– Jotham Russell
– John Morgan III
– William Bradley-King

Barmore, Godchaux, Wise and White will all be key contributors this upcoming season, but there’s a ton of concern regarding the depth of this group. It’s almost similar to the wide receivers, where you’re going to see competition from a hefty amount of C-tier players.

Ekuale and Watts seem to be competing for rotational roles, with the former coming off a season-ending biceps injury and the latter looking to find a permanent home after bouncing around for a few seasons. It’s possible they both make the roster, but the Patriots probably aren’t carrying more than four interior linemen out of camp.

Roberts, Pharms and Hill are prime candidates to return to the practice squad, but they’re not completely out of the conversation to replace the likes of a Watts or Ekuale. Russell, Morgan III and Bradley-King are.

Biggest Question(s)

– How real is talk of White’s breakout?
Mayo said it, so we have no choice but to believe the Patriots are going to lean heavily on White in his sophomore season. It’s just a question about whether he can produce from a new position.

White showed flashes as a rookie, doing a little bit of everything as a rotational player. New England’s looking to take his hand out of the dirt even more than it did last season, though, which could come with an adjustment period. White will be good, but how quickly can he provide an impact?

— Can they get away with not paying Godchaux?
Godchaux is a good player, but we aren’t going to make the argument that he’s untouchable. The Patriots, as we’ve already mentioned, don’t seem to be all that eager to pay him. Is it going to become a problem if they choose to roll the dice and leave his contract untouched entering camp?

– Who wins the battle along the interior?
Barmore and (most likely) Godchaux have their spots locked in. Is it as easy as penciling in Ekuale as the third guy, or will someone surprise during training camp? Is it as easy as allowing Wise to take on a heavier workload inside?

Grade

– B-

Barmore is the star, while White and Wise help hold this group from dipping into C territory. If the Patriots receive some unforeseen contributions, things can rise. If they don’t, one injury could leave this group scrambling for some help.