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AFC Contender Eyeing Ex-Patriots Starting Defensive Tackle

Daniel Ekuale New England Patriots

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Former New England Patriots starting defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale continued his search for his next NFL opportunity to begin this week. On Monday, he tried out for the Houston Texans.

According to the NFL transaction wire, Ekuale was one of two defensive tackles to try out for Houston. The other was fellow veteran Benito Jones.

Ekuale has spent eight years in the league as an undrafted free agent. Last season, he appeared in seven games for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From 2021-24, Ekuale played for the Patriots. In 2024, Ekuale started 16 games for the Patriots, posting 52 combined tackles, including two for loss. He also had three quarterback hits and one sack.

Ex-Patriots DT Daniel Ekuale Tries Out for Houston Texans

Daniel Ekuale New England Patriots

GettyFormer New England Patriots defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale tried out for the Houston Texans on Monday.

Ekuale played more seasons and snaps for New England than any other club. He joined the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and debut with the club the following season.

During 2019, Ekuale posted four combined tackles while playing in seven games. He then played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 before joining the Patriots in 2021.

Over his four seasons with New England, Ekuale played for both head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo. He started every game but one during Mayo’s lone season as head coach. But Ekuale didn’t return to New England after the organization hired Mike Vrabel.

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Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb

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