New England Patriots: Five Defensive Players Who Could Break Out in 2011

Players typically make a good deal of progression from one year to the next, although the labor uncertainty may change that in the 2011 NFL season.

Still, with the progress that was made by several Patriots over the course of the 2010 season, there's reason to believe at least a few of those guys could make an even bigger impact next year (assuming there is a next year).

Here are just a few of the guys I have my eye on.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda & Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.

Brandon Deaderick

Although Deaderick didn't play until Week 4 against the Dolphins, he played 20 snaps of a possible 70. Belichick must have seen something he liked, because against the Ravens he played a whopping 52 out of 77 defensive snaps.

After that, Deaderick began to see the field on a little less than half of New England's defensive snaps. That is, until the Week 14 game against the Bears. His playing time tanked at that point, playing just two snaps out of 45 against the Bears. He followed that with just seven out of 84 against the Packers. He closed out the regular season as a healthy scratch in the final two games, and was suspended for a practice leading up to the Jets game, but played a bit in that game due to injuries.

If Deaderick can prove that he is improving in the system, he could compete for more playing time and increase his chances at making an impact on the defense.

Rob Ninkovich

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FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 21: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts is hit by Rob Ninkovich #50 of the New England Patriots on November 21, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Colts 31-28. (Photo by Elsa/Gett

My podcast co-host Mike Dussault of Pats Propaganda recently wrote this great piece about Ninkovich. There's plenty of reason to believe he will continue to see substantial playing time, just by looking at the handy snap graph Dussault shows us of his playing time in 2010.

His best point is thus: "One thing that is continually marginalized is the effect of a player getting experience in the Belichick 3-4 defense. In a read and react defense, the more experience you have, the quicker and better your reads are, and the more decisive your reactions will be."

With that in mind, the amount of playing time Ninkovich has received over the past few years, as well as his experience in the system, could make him a candidate to fill a starting role in 2011.

Eric Moore

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CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 12: Eric Moore #98 of the New England Patriots sacks quarterback Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Patriots defeated the Bears 36-7. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images

The fact that the Patriots failed to draft a pass rusher until the sixth round indicates a great deal of confidence in the current group of pass rushers the Patriots feature. Among those, is Eric Moore.

Moore has been kicked around a few NFL rosters over the course of his five-year career and was picked up from the UFL last year just before the Week 15 game against the Chicago Bears. He registered a sack in his first game as a Patriot, and again in Week 16 against the Packers.

He has perfect size for the position, at 6'4" and 268 pounds.

Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com called him a "late-season revelation"; He made such a quick impact, it's hard to believe Belichick wouldn't give him a chance to do so again in 2011.

Kyle Arrington

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FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 19: Cornerback Kyle Arrington #27 of the New England Patriots celebrates scoring a touchdown after intercepting the ball and running 36 yards against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of the game at Gillette Stadium on

With the emergence of rookie Devin McCourty, the return of veteran Leigh Bodden, and the selection of Virginia's Ras-I Dowling, New England's secondary is already looking stocked full. That's not even including the forgotten child, Kyle Arrington.

Arrington had an unspectacular but solid 2010 campaign filling in for injured players and underperformers. He did have one rather spectacular interception return for a touchdown against the Packers.

He'll have to beat out some stiff competition, but if he can continue to improve and find a place in the secondary, he could make an impact.

Ron Brace

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FOXBOROUGH - MAY 2: Ron Brace #60 answers questions after the New England Patriots Minicamp at Gillette Stadium May 2, 2009 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

This is one we've been waiting for since 2009. The big defensive tackle out of Boston College has fallen into and out of favor with the Patriots coaching staff, and was the Albert Haynesworth of Patriots training camp last year when he failed a conditioning test and was held out of practice.

His stats are nothing worth mentioning, with only 31 tackles and exactly zero sacks in his two-year career. He did, however, help create penetration on a 4th-and-1 stop on Adrian Peterson in the Week 9 game against the Vikings.

Brace played in 25.7 percent of defensive snaps last year according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. That gives him the fourth-highest total among defensive linemen in 2010. That number is evidence enough that Belichick has confidence in Brace on the field.

He will continue to play inside in the sub-package but could compete for time at defensive end.