When the Patriots rebuilt their defense this offseason, mainly via free agency, there was no shortage of talent joining the team. But you could argue, given some of the youth on the unit, where was the leadership going to come from?
So far in the early part of the offseason program, Robert Spillane, who came over from the Raiders, is one of the guys taking on that role.
One of ESPN's Mike Reiss's biggest takeaways from a recent conversation with inside linebackers' coach Zak Kuhr, who is running the defense while defensive coordinator Terrell Williams recovers from an illness, is that Spillane has been one of the guys calling plays in the huddle.
Robert Spillane should be a key vocal leader for a talented Patriots' defense
According to Reiss, Kuhr would relay plays into Spillane's helmet from the sidelines, and Spillane would subsequently relay them to his teammates.
As talented as this Patriots' defense is, they need a quality voice in the huddle, particularly while Williams recovers from his illness. And indications are Spillane will provide them with just that.
There's no doubt this unit has other talented pieces, including Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Milton Williams, to name just a few. However, entering his seventh season, Spillane is one of the veteran presences within the group.
Patriots' fans have expectations as to who the offense is going to be turbocharged by, both on and off the field. Spillane is setting the tone that he can be one of those guys on defense, and the linebacking core most certainly needs it. That is a group that has been marred by inconsistency, as the Patriots have been mired in the AFC East basement for the last couple of years.
Spillane isn't a player who's going to rack up 10 or 12 sacks in a season, but if things start to go south defensively, he's a player who can settle things down in the huddle and get things back on track. And that's something the Patriots need on both sides of the football.