Keion White’s significant playing time in the Patriots’ preseason finale against the Giants on Thursday night was a telling sign of his current standing with the team. While many established veterans rested, the third-year defensive end, once considered a likely starter, played 30 defensive snaps, signaling a slide down the depth chart as final roster cuts loom.
“I don’t think Keion White is in trouble (of making the roster), but I know that he’s been surpassed on the depth chart,” Patriots insider Phil Perry said on the Patriots Talk podcast. “I mean, this has been happening.”
One key reason for White’s demotion is the emergence of K’Lavon Chaisson, who has proven to be a strong fit in New England’s defensive scheme. The former first-round pick, signed to a one-year deal this offseason, has been practicing with the starters opposite Harold Landry III. Neither Chaisson nor Landry played in the preseason finale, underscoring their secure roles.
Another factor is that White has failed to make a significant impact this summer. Despite an imposing 6-foot-5, 285-pound frame, the defensive end, who is now positioned exclusively on the edge, has not demonstrated the speed of his peers.
“Keion White, to me, I’m not sure how he has improved since he entered the league,” Perry said. “He just feels, still, like a player who doesn’t have a whole lot in the way of pass-rush moves.”
White possesses a physical, power-based style and willingly engages blockers head-on to reach the quarterback. However, as Perry noted, this direct approach has not been consistently effective for the 2023 second-round pick.
“When I watch him rush the passer, he’s just trying to go right down the middle of whoever is blocking him,” said Perry, who observed that White primarily uses only one or two pass-rush techniques. “Sometimes it works, but most times it doesn’t.”
“For a guy who is that physically talented, working with a new staff that clearly wants to get as much out of him as they can, I’m surprised I haven’t seen more from him this summer,” Perry continued. “So, I’m not surprised he played as much as he did today. I’m not surprised that Chaisson has passed him.”
