Lawrence Guy is one of the best free agent signings the New England Patriots have made over the last 10 years.
Guy has been a fixture of the team's defensive line for the last three seasons, and he played an important role on a defense that held the high-scoring Los Angeles Rams offense to just three points in the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII win two years ago.
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The Patriots announced Wednesday their official All-Decade Team for the 2010s, and Guy was among the selections on defense. He reflected on that achievement during a video conference call with reporters Wednesday.
"I’m honored to be on that list. Going through what I went through from the beginning of my career to now, it shows that a lot of hard work and dedication can lead to a lot of ways," Guy said. "And it shows other people that were in my shoes or are in my shoes now, going through their process in the NFL, that they can achieve something if they put their mind to it, and they can achieve their goals and their dreams to be recognized as being a good player in people’s eyes and being that asset.
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Guy was one of two defensive tackles named to the latest All-Decade team. The other was Vince Wilfork. Guy doesn't have much of a personal connection to Wilfork, but he does have immense respect for his many years of excellent performances in New England.
"Like I said, I’m honored to be named on the same list as a player of his caliber, what he was able to do," Guy explained. "The only time I ever talked to him really was when he came and talked to the team and been around him and listened to his stories here and there. I went to his retirement announcement, just to get a little bit more inspiration of what he went through in the league and what he had to say about his retirement. But, other than that, I wasn’t here when he was here. I wish I was here when he was playing with the Patriots so I could learn a little bit more about the way he approached the game and learn a little bit more about the way he studied and the way he was able to do it.
"A man that size, and then be that athletic and intelligent, is something you just want to learn from, you know? But, other than that, like you said, I look at his game when we would look at old film or put up a whole game that Bill (Belichick) wants to watch; we see how he’s able to move the pocket and we see how he’s able to play those run downs. And more people might not say it, but you see that man pass rush, it’s pretty unique because for someone his size, to be able to move the way he does, it’s pretty impressive."
Guy tallied a career-high 35 tackles with one interception, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and one pass defensed in 16 games last season.
The 30-year-old defensive tackle will remain a key part of the Patriots defense in 2020, especially after the offseason departures of veterans Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Elandon Roberts and Danny Shelton.