Daniel Ekuale has appeared in 27 total games since joining the New England Patriots as a practice squad pickup in September 2021. The first 26 of them, saw him primarily play a rotational role along the defensive.
The 27th, meanwhile, was different. Last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ekuale received the highest playing-time share of his New England career: starting his first game as a Patriot, the 30-year-old was on the field for 37 of 51 defensive snaps, a rate of 73 percent. No other defensive tackle saw more action in the season opener.