The first three cutdown days of his NFL career all went the same for Cory Durden: he was called into the head coach’s office and informed of his release. After the latest of these conversations, he ended
up finding his way to New England.
Two days after he was cut by the New York Giants in late August, the Patriots picked him up via their practice squad. A week later, before his new team’s season opener against the Raiders, Durden was promoted to the 53-man roster and has not looked back since.
Quite the opposite, actually.
The 26-year-old has quietly become an important cog along the Patriots’ interior defensive line. He has played double-digit snaps and been given at least 20% of defensive reps in eight straight games now, with Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as his most active contest to date: Durden set new career highs in both snaps (30) and playing time (43.5%) during New England’s 28-23 win at Raymond James Stadium.
He also registered three tackles as well as three quarterback pressures.
“I think he’s excited about playing,” said head coach Mike Vrabel during a press conference on Monday. “He brings a good size, good physicality, good energy. It seems like he’s always excited after every play or the plays that he’s involved with.”
Durden entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Florida State in 2023. Originally with the Detroit Lions, he made his way to the Los Angeles Rams in September of his rookie season.
Durden played in four games during his first season as a pro, plus four more as a member of the Giants in 2024. His statistical output may have been unremarkable — 13 tackles and four pressures — but his body of work still caught the eyes of the Patriots’ organization after this year’s cutdown day.
(The fact that he crossed paths with both Ryan Cowden and John Streicher, two influential voices inside Gillette Stadium nowadays, likely did not hurt either.)
Since joining the team, Durden has slowly carved out a role as a rotational defensive tackle behind the top three of Christian Barmore, Milton Williams and Khyiris Tonga. With the latter taking on more responsibility as a part-time fullback the last two weeks, his presence has become even more vital to the operation.
“He’s one of those players that’s, like a lot of guys, taking advantage of the opportunity that he’s gotten,” said Vrabel. “He was somewhere else, they made a decision, we were able to bring him in, quickly elevate him and bring him on, and he’s done a good job.”
