The New England Patriots moved Matthew Judon in a trade that shook up the roster last week. It was a surprising move that had some wondering who might step up and help fill the void left by the four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher.
There’s hope that Judon’s departure might lead to the emergence of a training camp standout like outside linebacker Oshane Ximines.
Ximines spent nearly five seasons with the New York Giants before being released by the team in 2023. He was selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft after playing college ball at Old Dominion.
He was picked up by the Patriots as a free agent in April, and now, he might play a bigger role in the linebacker room than originally intended.
“Ox has been great,” outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Came in here, learned the playbook quickly, humble approach to everything — a guy that wants to play the run, set the edge and do the dirty work. He fits right in this defense.”
Ximines had a sack and two quarterback hits in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. He followed that performance up with a quarterback hit and a tackle for a loss against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Stories like Ximines’ are part of the reason why training camp is so important. So many things can happen, and opportunities often come when they’re least expected.
You have to be ready for them when they do.