Patriots DT Cory Durden Has Huge Opportunity in OTAs

After what was an impressive showing in his first season with the New England Patriots, one defensive tackle has the golden opportunity to parlay that into a larger batch of production.

Cory Durden, who the Patriots acquired last season to join their practice squad, quickly became a really solid rotational pass rusher. The team already had several players with high ceilings at his position -- Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Khyiris Tonga -- but Durden continued to improve each week.

Now he's in line for a larger role in 2026 after Tonga dipped to Kansas City in free agency. The Patriots didn't end up drafting a defensive tackle to essentially replace Tonga's towering frame in the middle of the line, ideally with the mindset that Durden could take over that role.

But is that actually true, or just offseason chatter to fill the time?

Vrabel: "(Cory Durden) Proved That"

Nope, it's legitimate. Durden has now become one of the mainstays of the defensive line to this point in the spring, and his head coach is already praising his work.

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden (94) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

"I think Cory already did. I think he proved that," Mike Vrabel told reporters when asked about Durden possibly stepping into Tonga's role. "And again, nobody was happier for Tonga than me personally, in what he was able to do for us. And that's the beauty of professional sports. He came here, we wanted him back, he got a better offer, and that's what he had to do. That's what he should have done. So, I'm going to support him and his family."

Tonga had a large role on the defense last season. The nose tackle had just 24 tackles in 14 games, but was on the field for 40% of New England's defensive snaps. He got his first sack of the year in the playoffs, and even moonlighted as a jumbo fullback in some goal line packages.

Durden offered a lot more speed off the snap than Tonga. The 27-year-old really made a name for himself as he played in every single game and played in 38% of the team's defensive snaps. Durden is more than capable of taking over the hole left by Tonga.

Year 4 gone be my best year 🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/quRlNL9TOj
— Cory Durden (@9Durden4) May 28, 2026

But there's also plenty of other guys in the defensive line room that could compete for jobs. Durden might have the upper hand for now, but it's a deep room, despite the inexperience.

Durden's DL Outlook Pre-2026 Training Camp

"We also are excited," Vrabel continued about the defensive line room. "Lenny T, Leonard Taylor (III) worked with us. Eric Gregory worked with us. These guys are proving that they want to be there. Josh Farmer is back healthy. But Cory, I think, probably coming out of last year, would be that on paper. Again, there'll be a competition in training camp.

"But I think that's a good group. The lines of scrimmage are critical."

The room is stacked in terms of names, but a lot of them are question marks. Taylor III impressed when called up from the practice squad last year, but wasn't able to stick around on the active roster. Gregory and Farmer, rookies last season, both missed time with injuries. Veteran Jeremiah Pharms Jr. always seem to stick around the team. There are options to go with at defensive tackle.

But because the Patriots didn't end up drafting a defensive tackle, it was a vote of confidence in Durden's talents. That doesn't mean that they didn't ignore the position as a whole. The Patriots signed UDFAs David Blay Jr. (Miami) and Travis Shaw (Texas), adding depth to what could become an interesing position battle this summer.

If Durden can start stringing together days in the OTA portion of the summer, he'll come into his first New England training camp already on a heater. That's the best case scenario for both parties.

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