Patriots bolster defense in deal-making frenzy

With the NFL’s legal tampering period underway, the New England Patriots have begun to completely remodel their defense with a flurry of deals.

The headline is the Patriots agreeing to terms with former Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams on a deal worth up to $26M a year annually, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Williams was rated as the No. 1 overall free agent in this year’s class by The Athletic, and for good reason. On last year’s Super Bowl-winning team, Milton generated the second-highest pressure rate among defensive tackles in the league (12.5%), according to NFL Next Gen Stats, and also put up impressive counting stats, with five sacks and seven tackles for loss, per Pro Football Reference. 

After reportedly agreeing to trade away defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, the Patriots desperately needed someone who could create pressure up the middle, and now they’ve landed one of the top free agents of the entire 2025 class. 

New England hasn’t just improved its defensive line. It also improved its weak linebacker core from last year by reportedly agreeing to contracts with Harold Landry from the Tennessee Titans and Robert Spillane from the Las Vegas Raiders.

Landry, who previously played for new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, reportedly agreed to a three-year deal for $43.5M with $26M guaranteed. Landry led the Titans with nine sacks last year and has finished with at least nine sacks in his last three full seasons. While he might not reach his previous career heights after suffering a torn ACL in 2022, a reunion with Vrabel could see the linebacker turn New England’s defense around in 2025. 

Spillane, on the other hand, might be in the prime of his career. The former Raider finished third in the NFL in tackles last year with 158 and had a Pro Football Focus run-defense grade of 91.2, third-best among all linebackers. The Patriots desperately need help in the run-defense department after giving up 131.4 yards on the ground per game last year, per ESPN stats.

It’s not just run defense the Patriots have been focused on, however, as they rounded out their deal-making spree by reportedly agreeing to terms with former Lions cornerback Carlton Davis on a three-year, $60M dollar deal with $34.5M fully guaranteed. The steady six-year veteran will make a great addition playing opposite the Patriots’ young All-Pro DB, Christian Gonzalez. 

The Patriots are doing everything a rebuilding team should do, and now with the confidence in young quarterback Drake Maye, they have begun to craft a defense to get the franchise out of rebuilding mode and back to contender status. 

And New England won’t stop amassing talent now. The team holds the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft and could look to take Penn State defensive standout Abdul Carter or Colorado superstar cornerback/receiver hybrid Travis Hunter. 

After a stretch of disappointing seasons, the future is beginning to look bright in New England.