Since he was announced as the next head coach of the New England Patriots earlier this month, Mike Vrabel has been slowly but surely building his staff for the 2025 season. He kicked things off with a predicted move by re-hiring Josh McDaniels to be the team's offensive coordinator in a third stint, with many of the other personnel he's hired having worked with him during his days with the Titans.
He also decided to retain special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, who helped make their third unit look as good as they historically had under Bill Belichick. For the most part, the reaction to those he's hired has been mostly positive, with even some players sharing their excitement about their new coaches.
Interestingly, they're not the only ones who have made their opinions known on social media, seemingly opening a door for the Patriots to potentially trade for a star defender their team could immediately plug and play.
Jeffery Simmons seems a bit too happy for the Patriots new coaching staff
Former Titans players have shared their feelings about seeing their ex-head coach return to the role with another team, some of which had a message to share with Patriots players regarding the kind of guy they'll be getting in the locker room.
There has been a resoundingly positive atmosphere surrounding Vrabel, but he is no longer the only hire receiving a lot of love. The most noteworthy of all has been Titans' defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who has taken to Twitter/X to share his reactions to some of his former coaches from Tennessee moving onto Vrabel's new staff in Foxboro.
His first comments came after news that Terrell Williams would become the Patriots' next defensive coordinator.
#Titans star DT Jeffery Simmons congratulates Terrell Williams, his former defensive line coach, on his new job with the #Patriots.
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) January 22, 2025
I know y’all are thinking what I’m thinking… pic.twitter.com/iYJenPlFfP
A couple of days later, Simmons hopped on Twitter/X again when Clinton McMillan was announced to be joining Vrabel's staff as well, as he had been an assistant defensive line coach and pass rush specialist with the Titans until last season.
You can’t sit here and tell me Jeffery Simmons doesn’t want to join the #Patriots and work with all of his favorite coaches… pic.twitter.com/AJvJCll7nT
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) January 25, 2025
Read More: Patriots won't be getting the same old Josh McDaniels in his NE return
This could be simply chalked up to a player being excited about coaches he liked moving onto bigger roles with a new team, and maybe that's all it really is. Or this could be Simmons' way of subtly hinting at wanting out of Tennessee.
The Patriots should at the very least inquire about a trade for the defensive tackle since their front seven has been far from extraordinary. The defense was actually one of the weakest parts of their 2024 season, and improving the tackles will surely be a priority this offseason.
He's under contract through the 2027 season and is a former first-round pick, so it's unlikely the Titans will be chomping at the bit to get rid of him. On top of that, it won't be cheap to acquire him.
The Patriots could acquire him post-June 1st, taking on his $22,741,176 cap hit for the 2025 season. The Titans would save $17,941,176 in cap space and only take on $4.8 million in dead cap, adding to their decent amount to spend this offseason. Considering how much they need to makeover their roster, it could be a selling point to move on from Simmons sooner than they might want to.
It is worth exploring for Vrabel and Co. since the Patriots' defense needs a lot of help to return to being a dominant unit. Adding a guy like Simmons, who recorded 76 combined tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, nine quarterback hits, two forced fumbles with two recoveries, and five sacks, would be a great way to start.