FOXBORO — Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden has had the type of season most undrafted players toiling away on practice squads dream about, but it’s not enough.

Durden has been inspired by the opportunity granted to him by Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Once content to find a minor role, Durden has bigger goals.

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“I feel like Coach Vrabes has changed the trajectory of my career,” Durden said. “My mindset’s changed. At first it was just trying to do anything to stick and find my niche and just find a spot and where I fit in in this league. But now I feel like I’m gonna show that I’m one of the top D-tackles in the league. It may not be this year, it may not be next year, but I definitely feel like I’m one of the top guys at this position, and I’m a starter in this league.”

Durden’s journey with the Patriots starts, like most great stories, at the very bottom. He was cut by the Giants out of training camp and signed with the Patriots’ practice squad on Aug. 28. He signed to the Patriots’ 53-man roster one day before the 2025 season began and held his spot for the rest of the season.

Prior to this season, Durden had spent most of two years with the Rams and Giants on the practice squad. He topped out at 84 defensive snaps with the Giants last season.

He played a career-high 450 defensive snaps this season and has started five of the Patriots’ last seven games. His 75.9 overall PFF grade ranks 10th out of 90 qualified defensive tackles. He’s tied for first with a 19.4% pass-rush win rate and ranks third with an 89.9 PFF pass-rushing grade.

“I feel like, not knocking any of the other places, but I never really got opportunities to play meaningful football in any of those places,” Durden said about his previous stops with the Lions, Rams and Giants. “So, I feel like this year, I’m playing, I’m starting in meaningful football games, and I’ve played good. I’ve played good in the playoffs. So I feel like I just, I’m back playing football that means something. So, why not play hard?”

Vrabel was a bit more willing to “knock” other teams after the Patriots beat the Giants in Week 13.

“They let him go. And that game meant a lot to him,” Vrabel said. “They told him he wasn’t good enough to play for the Giants, and we thought he was good enough to play for the Patriots. So I’m happy for him. Made some plays and continues to help us but also help himself. And I love that.”

Durden has mixed feelings about his pass-rush prowess.

On one hand, he said he feels more confident and that he’s winning reps easier against offensive linemen. He knows he’s affecting quarterbacks with pressure, but he still doesn’t have his first NFL sack.

“I’ve missed a lot of opportunities,” Durden said. “But I want to say I’m progressing as a pass rusher, but I haven’t gotten home yet. And if you really go look at the film, like, I should have nine sacks, eight, nine sacks. So, it’s frustrating, but it’s the league. So I’m just waiting on my first one to come, and then I know that’ll be the tip of the iceberg. …

“But it’ll be sweet, because it’ll come in a big game. Hopefully, I get one this weekend, and why not start in the championship game?”

Interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr used Durden as an example in Thursday’s practice.

Kuhr was specifically asked about Durden’s progress as a pass rusher but highlighted his growth overall.

“I don’t want to get past the run game stuff with him, because his technique, over these last — I was telling him out there in practice today, how his technique in the run game and the pass game has just skyrocketed,” Kuhr said. “And truly, how we tell the guys, ‘we got to get better as the season goes on,’ he’s truly done that. You look at his pad level, his strike, his hands, how he sheds, all that’s gotten better. I’m proud of him for that.”

Durden’s improvement as a pass rusher didn’t come out of nowhere either. A four-star recruit, he led Florida State with five sacks in 2019 before COVID, a shoulder injury and a transfer to North Carolina State derailed his college career.

He wound up going undrafted in 2023 before signing with the Lions.

Vrabel believes part of Durden’s development is knowing his limitations.

“I think that he’s just worked hard at (pass rushing),” Vrabel said. “I think that’s something that he’s focused on, is figuring out what works for him. He’s not built like (Broncos defensive tackle) Zach Allen; he shouldn’t try some of that stuff. You get together with the player, (defensive line coach) Clint (McMillan) and everybody else, and kind of figure out a couple moves that may work for them, then you go about practicing those through the week, and then coming up with a plan. So, they’re not trying things that maybe they’re not good at.”

Durden said he studies Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, because they have more similar builds.

“I want to work on my upper body flexibility to be able to turn my shoulders like (Jones),” Durden said. “I think Jeffrey Simmons is probably the best D-tackle in the league right now, just looking at him and the way he violently rushes.”

As for Durden’s evolution, he wants to develop into a three-down defensive tackle.

That could come sooner than later, based on how disruptive he’s been against the pass on early downs this season.

“Being a first-, second- and third-down D-tackle is the next step for me,” Durden said. “Just not being a guy who’s limited to first and second down. I think the next step would be just being an every-down D-tackle. I think that’s what’s next for me.”

Durden is emblematic of the Patriots’ identity this season. Nearly everyone the Patriots have brought in this season through free agency, waiver claims and practice squad signings has elevated their game under Vrabel — no one more than Durden.