The New England Patriots are entering a new era with Mike Vrabel as their head coach, and Vrabel’s first order of business will be addressing the trenches on both sides of the football.
The Patriots rush defense tanked in 2024 under the Jerod Mayo regime, finishing in the bottom third of the league in yards allowed. Their offensive line has been an ongoing issue going back to the end of Bill Belichick’s tenure, with a revolving door at left tackle.
Vrabel’s defenses with the Tennessee Titans were always stout up front and tough to deal with, and Matt Bowen of ESPN predicts his Patriots will take a major swing in free agency to bolster their front seven.
Bowen predicts the Patriots will pry star defensive tackle Milton Williams away from the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Here was his take on what he called Willaims’ best fit in free agency:
Williams was a menace on the interior during Super Bowl LIX, notching a pair of sacks on Patrick Mahomes, including a game-sealing forced fumble and recovery in the fourth quarter. He racked up 54 total pressures and eight sacks during the 2024 season (including playoffs) and will be one of the top interior linemen available if he hits the open market.
The Eagles often extend their top players early, but they let Williams play out the final year of his rookie contract in 2024. His price tag has gone up, as Spotrac projects his next deal to be in the neighborhood of three years, $36 million.
It would be unlike the Eagles to let an impact defensive lineman leave in free agency, especially a player they drafted and developed. The team has spent huge on player salaries in recent seasons, though, and they have other major pending free agents to deal with in linebacker Zack Baun, EDGE Josh Sweat and RG Mekhi Becton.
No team in the NFL has more projected cap space than the Patriots. Vrabel and Co. will be looking to put their stamp on the roster in 2025, and adding a young stud like Williams up front would surprise absolutely no one.