In the NFL, the game is often won in the trenches. That's especially true on the offensive line, but it's just as important on the defensive side of the ball.
Last season, the Patriots saw what happened to their defensive line when their top nose tackle option, Beau Allen, didn't play a snap for them. The result was a run defense that surrendered 131.4 yards per game, the seventh-most in the NFL.
The Patriots have a handful of defensive tackles set to hit free agency this offseason, including Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler.