FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots will hold their first public training camp practice on July 27. As part of the lead-up to camp, I'll spotlight one position each weekday to highlight the team's personnel and some of the storylines of note.
We've covered wide receivers, offensive linemen, running backs, tight ends and quarterbacks last week, before moving on the defense and linebackers on Monday. Now, let’s look at defensive ends.
Personnel: Trey Flowers, Rob Ninkovich, Kony Ealy, Geneo Grissom, Derek Rivers, Deatrich Wise Jr.
Roster locks: Flowers, Ninkovich, Rivers, Wise
Notable changes in rotation: Last year, the Patriots essentially used a four-man rotation, and this is how the playing time percentages broke down: Chris Long 65.0; Jabaal Sheard 55.6; Flowers 54.0; Ninkovich 44.3. Ninkovich’s total would have been higher if not for a four-game suspension to open the season. So while Flowers and Ninkovich were the top ends by the end of 2016, the free-agent departures of Long and Sheard show that the Patriots have a significant void to fill.
Health report: Ealy, who was acquired in an offseason trade from the Panthers for an eight-spot move down the draft board (pick No. 64 traded in exchange for Ealy and pick No. 72), could be a big part of being part of that rotation, although he didn’t finish spring practices for undisclosed reasons. His status bears watching at the start of camp.
Defensive ends have replaced 3-technique DTs: In the past two seasons, the Patriots have effectively used defensive ends as interior pass-rushers in certain packages. Specifically, Chandler Jones found success in the role in 2015, and Flowers’ long arms sometimes gave interior offensive linemen trouble in 2016. Because of this, the need for 3-technique defensive tackles -- those who might be less stout against the run but have a knack for shooting gaps -- has lessened. That has been reflected, in part, in personnel moves such as the release of Dominique Easley and Anthony Johnson.
Defensive ends have also moved inside to play 5-technique: The versatility of defensive ends to also be covered up and play more head-up on offensive tackles has also been a part of analyzing what fits at the position. That was something Long, in particular, addressed (to The MMQB website) when discussing signing with the Eagles, who will play him in a more traditional defensive end role.
Rookie report: Rivers, of Youngstown State, was the Patriots’ top draft pick (third round, No. 83). One of the notable snapshots from spring practices was him staying late with Flowers as the two worked on their technique. Meanwhile, Arkansas alum Wise was the team’s fourth-round pick (No. 131). He is considered a high-intangibles prospect who fits the mold from a physical standpoint, but injuries limited his production in college.
Stat check: Ninkovich, who at 33 joins kicker Stephen Gostkowski and linebacker David Harris as the second-oldest players on the roster, has played in 140 career games (117 starts) with the Patriots since joining the team as a free agent in 2009.
Quote of note: “[He] played competitively in the all-star games and in a good program there with Coach [Bo] Pelini who we know very well. Bo does a great job with his players and his team. Derek's been in a good system, has been well-coached. Even though he's from a smaller school, we'll see what he can do for himself here as well, when all is said and done.” -- Bill Belichick, on Rivers, after the club selected him in the draft.