When the New England Patriots paid $104 million to bring defensive tackle Milton Williams to Gillette Stadium during 2025 NFL free agency, head coach Mike Vrabel had a clear plan in mind, one based on using the newcomer in the same role that helped make Jeffery Simmons an All-Pro for the Tennessee Titans.
Simmons played his best football on Vrabel’s watch in 2021 and ’22, when he was voted second-team All-Pro both years.
Now the former Titans boss’ plan for Williams “will likely have shades of what Vrabel did with Jeffery Simmons in Tennessee — moving him all over the line to isolate advantageous matchups,” according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Embracing more multi-layered responsibilities is what the Patriots expect from Williams after they destroyed a free agency narrative to sign him.
The 25-year-old who helped the Philadelphia Eagles win last season’s Super Bowl says he’s keen “to be known as doing it all, versatile, Swiss Army knife — line up anywhere and be productive from any spot,” per Reiss.
Putting the theory into practice will require Williams studying what Simmons did best in Vrabel’s system. Fortunately, Williams has already shown Simmons-like qualities with the Eagles.
Milton Williams Fits Jeffery Simmons Plan
What Simmons did in Tennessee was line up anywhere across the front and rush and disrupt from different angles. Highlights from Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS Media, ostensibly focused on fellow Patriots newcomer, edge-rusher Harold Landry III, also show how versatile Simmons (98) became.
Movement is key to how Vrabel uses his best game-wrecker in the trenches. The roving brief made Simmons a star and can do the same for Williams.
It helps the latter already knows how to win from multiple spots. More highlights from Kyles show No. 93 wrecking blocking schemes from a variety of alignments.
A plan for the dynamic deployment of Williams is just one part of Vrabel’s strategy for overhauling the style of New England’s defense.
Mike Vrabel Making Big Changes to Patriots Defense
The shift in style can best be summed up by a change from the old-school two-gapping of the 3-4 fronts favored by Vrabel’s former head coach Bill Belichick. Vrabel wants more downhill attacking from quicker four-man lines.
That preference is why Landry was added on the outside. It’s also why Vrabel hired Simmons’ one-time line coach Terrell Williams to be his defensive coordinator.
Williams is considered best in class as somebody who lets defensive ends rush from wide angles and isolates tackles to exploit vulnerabilities along the interior. His approach, along with two new and productive scheme fits, will suit some of the talent already on the depth chart.
Talent like versatile hybrid lineman Keion White and dominant D-tackle Christian Barmore. White has a decent history of creating problems on the edge, while also being able to slide inside and push the pocket.
Barmore, meanwhile, is a force who requires the attention of more than one blocker. Even a double team isn’t always enough to prevent the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder from resetting the line of scrimmage.
If Barmore can overcome the health problems that disrupted his 2024 season, he and White, Landry and Williams will give the Patriots the formidable and flexible front four Vrabel craves.
