The Patriots' new Head Coach, Mike Vrabel, had a lot of work to do after he accepted the position on January 12th. He had a quarterback and a few good players, but the whole roster needed to be overhauled, and he wasted no time going to work to do just that.
In free agency, Vrabel added to his dismal offensive line and signed two wide receivers to give Drake Maye some veterans to work with. In the draft, he gave him some terrific young players to do the same. On defense, he arguably did even more.
He added the top free agent defensive tackle available, Milton Williams. He also added two edge players, experienced sack artist Harold Landry III and K'Lavon Chaisson, who can get to the quarterback. On the third level, he signed a second shutdown cornerback, Carlton Davis III. However, one impactful addition wasn't a household name: inside linebacker and tackling machine Robert Spillane.
Robert Spillane is already being lauded as a big winner of the Patriots offseason
Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport has listed his top OTA winners and losers in 2025. One of the Patriots' own ranked as his second top winner. The first on their "winner" list was the Steelers for having signed Aaron Rodgers. Tough to argue with that.
But coming in at No. 2 on the positive side of the ledger was the Patriots' tackling machine and uber-underrated NFL star, Robert Spillane. Spillane is the best linebacker you've never heard of before he became a Patriot. Now the whole NFL world will stand up and take notice.
Davenport says Spillane has already emerged as a leader on the Patriots' defense.
"With defensive coordinator Terrell Williams recovering from an illness, Spillane has been thrown into the deep end, making the defensive play-calls that are relayed in by linebackers coach, Zak Kuhr...
If New England's new look defense is going to jell with so many new faces, the unit will need a leader - someone to step up and take control...Spillane has wasted no time doing just that, garnering the respect of his teammates in the process."
The Patriots needed an infusion of not only a sideline-to-sideline linebacker who makes plays, but also a new leader at the second level. Spillane, who played in Las Vegas under now-Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, was signed to do just that.
Spillane will captain the Patriots' defense
Spillane may not have been a household name in these parts, but his resume speaks for itself. After toiling in obscurity for the first five years of his career, in 2023 he exploded onto the scene under the Raiders' Head Coach McDaniels.
In 2023, he racked up 148 tackles, with seven tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, four passes defended, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions. McDaniels gave him wings and took off and flew. He followed up that great season in 2024 with a similar one. He notched 158 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, seven passes defended, two sacks, and two more interceptions.
Spillane is a one-man wrecking crew on the second level of the defense. He does it all and will for Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams. His leadership has also already been noticed by his teammate, and an emerging playmaking linebacker himself, Christian Elliss, who's already looking to Spillane for leadership and inspiration.
Expect Robert Spillane to be everything the Patriots hoped he'd be and more on the 2025 defense. He's a lead-by-example player who'll inspire his teammates to excel. Drake Maye is poised to lead the offense this season. Expect Robert Spillane to do the same on defense. Together, they're a heck of a duo to help captain the 2025 Patriots' playoff team.