Keion White Will Be Part Of Patriots’ Answer Amid Matt Judon’s Absence

There is no one-for-one replacement for Matthew Judon.

But the New England Patriots have options amid the indefinite absence of the outside linebacker, who will undergo surgery on Wednesday after suffering a lower right bicep tendon tear, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

A rookie is a top candidate in the fallout of what took place late in Sunday’s 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

Keion White has played his way there.

“Every week we’re trying to put a little bit more on his plate,” Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo told reporters via video conference on Tuesday. “He’s one of these guys who, he kind of doesn’t fit in any mold like the [Deatrich] Wise category or the Judon category. He can kind of do both to a certain extent, so he’s doing well. He’s growing each and every week in the classroom and on the field.”

Selected at No. 46 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, White’s wreaking-ball style broke through on the defensive side at Georgia Tech after beginning on the offensive side at Old Dominion. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound former tight end aligned from the interior to the exterior. His final year of eligibility saw him lead the Yellow Jackets with 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss while making a total of 54 stops.

Third-team All-ACC honors followed along with invitations the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the NFL Scouting Combine as well as the draft’s opening round by April.

White, 24, has since turned a summer of edge-setting, high-motor moments into a rotational role in the fall. Through four games, he has recorded his first career start as well as his first career solo tackle and batted pass.

The workload is now set to climb for No. 99 as the Patriots sort through plans without No. 9.

“Obviously, Keion has to — he’s going to play more,” Mayo said. “He’s going to play more. Simply said. We really need him to show up. It’ll be different guys on the roster to kind of help fill that void, even with Wise and guys like that. We don’t just play four down, we don’t just play three down. We’re pretty versatile with our players and also out scheme, so trying to figure it out today.”

Pro Football Focus has charted White for six quarterback hurries this regular season. He has handled 33% of New England’s defensive snaps. Among members of the front, that rate currently ranks behind Josh Uche, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, Jahlani Tavai and the aforementioned Wise.

Yet also Judon, whose Patriots tenure has spanned 38 games, 33 starts, 32 sacks as well as a pair of forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. The four-time Pro Bowler reached agreement on an adjusted contract in August that included $14 million fully guaranteed and opportunity to earn up to $18 million in 2023.

“Judon’s been great for us in the locker room, in the meeting room, on the field,” Mayo said. “But we have other players. It’s not going to be just one guy. It’s going to be multiple guys trying to fill that role. We’ll see what happens. We’ll see if he comes back. But in the meantime, we feel pretty confident about the guys on the roster.”

The New Orleans Saints visit Gillette Stadium next Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.