Patriots 2024 training camp preview: Interior defensive line appears to be in good shape

Aside from releasing veteran Lawrence Guy, extending Christian Barmore and signing Armon Watts in free agency, the New England Patriots’ interior defensive line has had a relatively quiet offseason so far. A relative lack of headlines is not a bad thing, however.

There was no need for any splashy moves outside of the Barmore extension, after all; the Patriots’ D-line was a steady unit already coming off 2023. The expectation is that little will change in that regard heading into 2024.

Depth chart

At the moment, the Patriots have nine interior D-linemen on their roster, ranging from big-bodied nose tackles like Davon Godchaux to hybrid end-of-line players like Deatrich Wise Jr. or Keion White.

• Christian Barmore (90): 24 | Signed through 2028 | $6.31M cap hit
• Davon Godchaux (92): 29 | Signed through 2024 | $11.8M cap hit
• Deatrich Wise Jr. (91): 29 | Signed through 2024 | $7.64M cap hit
• Keion White (99): 25 | Signed through 2026 | $1.77M cap hit
• Armon Watts (94): 27 | Signed through 2024 | $2.16M cap hit
• Daniel Ekuale (95): 30 | Signed through 2024 | $1.68M cap hit
• Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (98): 27 | Signed through 2024 | $915k cap hit
• Sam Roberts (96): 26 | Signed through 2025 | $1.03M cap hit
• Trysten Hill (97): 26 | Signed through 2024 | $985k cap hit

Even with Lawrence Guy no longer part of the equation, the Patriots have plenty of talent under contract along their defensive line. The big three in terms of proven contributions are Christian Barmore, Davon Godchaux and Deatrich Wise Jr.; they are starting-caliber players with a track record of high-level performance.

Behind them, sophomore Keion White will be a name to watch following a promising rookie campaign. Armon Watts, Daniel Ekuale, and Jeremiah Pharms Jr., meanwhile, round out the group of roster hopefuls. It will be seen whether all of them will make the team, and in which capacity, but they offer solid depth further down the ranks.

Sam Roberts and Trysten Hill, meanwhile, project as potential practice squad options.

Camp competitions

The Patriots’ interior defensive line is pretty much set at the top. That doesn’t mean there won’t be competition, though.

Deatrich Wise Jr. vs. Keion White: Wise Jr. has been a core member of the Patriots defensive line both on and off the field over the last few seasons. He is a relatively safe bet to make the team, but is not guaranteed to retain his starter role in 2024. White, after all, was used in a similar role as a rookie last year and is seemingly in position to take on a bigger workload — one that might come at the veteran’s expense.

Armon Watts vs. Daniel Ekuale vs. Jeremiah Pharms Jr.: Lawrence Guy’s aforementioned release created a hole in the Patriots’ defensive tackle rotation. Who will help fill it? Watts, Ekuale and Pharms Jr. are the most realistic candidates to emerge as the No. 3 DT alongside Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux. All three might earn regular roles, but it depends to be seen whose will be the most prominent.

Stories to watch

Beyond the position battles, here are a few other things we will keep a close eye on over the course of the summer.

Will Davon Godchaux’s contract be addressed? The Patriots were quite busy signing players to new contracts this offseason, but Davon Godchaux is not among them so far. Head coach Jerod Mayo did acknowledge the position the veteran lineman in is, but it remains to be seen whether or not there is any movement in regards to his deal.

What will Keion White’s second-year jump look like? At times in 2023, White looked like a jackpot draft choice for the Patriots. The second-round selection was disruptive at the point of attack, and capable of playing various techniques up front. Him continuing to stay on the trajectory he was on as a rookie would be good news for the entire New England defense.

How will Lawrence Guy be replaced off the field? As noted above, Armon Watts, Daniel Ekuale or Jeremiah Pharms Jr. might be the first men up to replace long-time veteran Lawrence Guy on the field. As for his locker room leadership, Davon Godchaux and Keion White are realistic candidates to take on more important roles. The team is also hopeful that recently-extended Christian Barmore will make further gains in that area.

Will the new position coach bring change? As part of their coaching staff restructuring, the Patriots hired long-time Green Bay Packers assistant Jerry Montgomery to coach their defensive line. Montgomery is taking over for new defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, who held the position for the previous four seasons. No major changes are expected, but different coaching could always lead to different results for individual players.

How confident do you feel about the Patriots’ defensive line heading into this year’s training camp? Please head down to the comment section to discuss.