Patriots Positional Preview: Defensive Ends

With the 4th of July in the rearview mirror, it will be just a few short weeks until training camp is upon us and Patriots football is back. These are the hardest days of the offseason, the final days, when all the football people are on vacation and there’s a vacuum of information.

Still, we’re so close we can all taste it.

Today we dive into another excerpt from my Season Preview (available here for just $5!), focusing on one of the most interesting positional groups on the roster — the defensive ends. While most of the team returns intact, this group is one that has undergone some significant transition.

Trey Flowers emerged as a breakout star in 2016 but after him there are a lot of question marks. How much does Rob Ninkovich have left in the tank? Can Kony Ealy assimilate? What about rookies Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise?

With the departure of Jabaal Sheard and Chris Long, some of these new players will be playing significant roles and how they perform could decide whether the defense takes a step forward or back.

Here’s my breakdown of the edge players, whether you want to call them defensive ends or outside linebackers.

Trey Flowers – Flowers had a breakout season in 2016 and capped it off with 2.5 sacks in the Super Bowl, none bigger than his fourth-quarter sack that pushed the Falcons out of field goal range to keep the door open for a Patriots comeback. He played 92 percent of the snaps in Super Bowl 51, as a base defensive end and sliding inside on passing downs where he caused considerable disruption. Known as “Technique”, Flowers is now viewed as a critical long term piece in the Patriots defense. He had seven sacks in 2016 and who knows what the possibilities are with a full season of starting, especially with the confidence he should have coming off such an impressive, star-making performance on the biggest stage.

Rob Ninkovich – After sitting out the first four games of 2016, Ninkovich had one of his quietest years as a Patriot, recording four sacks and 17 tackles, both season-lows since 2010. Still, the Patriots gave the reliable rock a one-year contract extension in September, though at 33 it shouldn’t be surprising that Nink is starting to slow down a bit. He’s still strong on the edge and played the second highest total of snaps in the Super Bowl (55 percent), but his pass rush effectiveness is waning, which should mean he’s seeing less time on third downs. No defender better captures the spirit of the second act of Bill Belichick’s dynasty defense and with two Super Bowl rings and three big game appearances, Ninkovich’s spot in Patriots history is cemented no matter how quickly the end comes now.

Kony Ealy – The Patriots acquired Ealy this offseason by swapping second rounders with the Panthers, a move that cost the Pats just eight draft slots. Ealy is best known for his performance in a losing effort in Super Bowl 50, where he had three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble, but fell out of favor in Carolina. Ealy should compete to start at left defensive end with Ninkovich, and could be moved around the line in passing situations. He’s in the last year of his deal, meaning this could just be a one-year rental, something becoming more and more common in New England, but if he breaks out the Pats could look to secure him long term with an extension.

Geneo Grissom – Grissom played 11 games in his second season, with the majority of his work coming on special teams where he played 55.8 percent of the snaps. The Patriots certainly value special teams players and that’s why we can’t rule Grissom out, but he’s firmly on the bubble and will need to stay healthy and bring it every day to make the roster in his third season.

Derek Rivers – Rivers was selected in the third round, 83rd overall and is known for his explosive pass rush burst that should instantly give him a role to play in the Patriots’ defense. Long term, I believe we’ll see Rivers standing up in more of a hybrid edge/linebacker role, because he has the athleticism to do more than simply be a hand-down pass rush specialist. And let’s face it, one-trick ponies don’t last long in New England. I don’t know if we’ll ever see him playing man coverage, but there will be plenty of zone drops in his future. In his rookie season, look for him to see initial snaps as an edge rusher, with his role slowly building as the season progresses.

Deatrich Wise – Wise was selected in the fourth round, 131st overall and has the strength and size to man a hand-down defensive end role ala Chandler Jones in the Patriots’ system. Whereas Rivers could be headed for more standing work, Wise appears a more traditional edge player, but also has the skill to slide inside on passing downs and be effective. He’s more of a developmental player but has all the traits necessary to be successful up front with long arms and the frame to add even more weight. He’s also a close friend of ex-Arkansas teammate Trey Flowers so that should help him adjust to life as a Patriot.