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Never mind the secondary, it’s all about the New England Patriots front seven

By Jeremy Gottlieb

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One preseason game down for the New England Patriots, three to go and a quick turnaround before Opening Night against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 10.

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As training camp wears on, we’re learning more about what this team is going to look like come that Thursday evening although the truckload of injuries that’s befallen the defending champs this summer blurs the picture a little bit.

But one thing we’ve known since the onset of free agency and the weekend of the draft is that this year’s defense is going to depend on the front seven in a major way.

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Replacing your top three corners with a hodgepodge of middle-tier free agents and younger, still developing players would seem to signal a change of focus and is directly related to the Patriots stockpiling depth and talent within their defensive line and linebacking corps. If the additions made up front can offset the subtraction of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington from the cornerback stable, the Patriots’ offseason mission will be accomplished.

There remains a sturdy anchor among the front seven, with Rob Ninkovich, Dont’a Hightower, Chandler Jones and budding superstar Jamie Collins still playing lead roles. Jerod Mayo will be back after a second straight season-ending injury and Sealver Siliga, Alan Branch and Chris Jones will also return and form part of a committee to replace Vince Wilfork, now channeling his inner Jordan in Houston. 

It’s the lesser known commodities who will be counted on to fill in the margins. Free agent Jabaal Sheard, who at this point feels like the replacement for free agent defector Akeem Ayers, has the makeup and experience as an edge pass rusher to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks while freeing up Ninkovich and Hightower to play more all-around games. Rookies Trey Flowers (who sacked Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers in last Thursday’s preseason opener before leaving with an undisclosed injury) and Geneo Grissom were each drafted to fortify the rush.

And don’t forget Dominique Easley, last year’s first-round pick who basically red-shirted his rookie year but was drafted to provide pressure up the middle. As ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss pointed out in reviewing the game against the Packers, Easley’s quickness and athleticism may not be enough to overcome his size as an interior lineman which may make him a better fit on the outside. Still, provided he stays healthy, Easley’s experience at defensive tackle lends even more depth — not to mention versatility — to the group.

The Patriots have set themselves up to field a defense that can control a game at the point of attack and stacked their front seven depth charts with waves of talent and depth. If everything goes according to plan, the new-look secondary will have plenty of time to find itself.

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