Patriots free agency primer: 5 potential targets at defensive tackle
The Patriots’ roster will look a lot different by the time the season starts in September.
Entering the offseason with nearly $130 million in cap space and needs all over their roster, the Patriots are expected to be busy in free agency this offseason. The Herald will preview free agency going position by position to highlight potential additions.
The Patriots have a new head coach in Mike Vrabel and have returned to a coach-centric structure with Vrabel only behind Robert and Jonathan Kraft in terms of power within the organization. Vrabel was heavily involved in free agency and pre-draft meetings at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he’s made it clear to the front office what types of players he’s prioritizing this offseason.
Eliot Wolf remains in his perch as executive vice president of player personnel, and the team hired Ryan Cowden — a long-time Vrabel confidant — as VP of player personnel. Some within the organization actually view vice president of operations and strategy John Streicher as Vrabel’s true No. 2.
We’ll continue by highlighting defensive tackles the Patriots can add this offseason.
Milton Williams
The impending Eagles free agent is expected to be one of the Patriots’ top offseason targets. He shined brightest when the biggest spotlight was on him in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win, when he was one of the best players on the field with two sacks, two stops and four total pressures.
It would be surprising to see Williams’ contract come in slightly higher than the four-year, $80 million deal Osa Odighizuwa signed with the Cowboys on Tuesday.
The Patriots need to remake their defensive line room with the change in scheme from DeMarcus Covington’s system to Terrell Williams’ defense, which focuses more on attacking and getting upfield rather than eating up space and two-gapping.
Due to the change in scheme, the Patriots have allowed defensive tackle Davon Godchaux to seek a trade. There’s uncertainty about Christian Barmore’s status after last season’s recurrence of blood clots. Beyond Godchaux and Barmore, the Patriots have Eric Johnson, Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Jaquelin Roy on their interior defensive line.
Williams, 25, is an ascending player who was exceptional at getting after the quarterback in 2024.
Poona Ford
Ford, 29, is coming off one of his best seasons in 2024, when he generated 25 pressures, three sacks, eight QB hits and 23 stops, per PFF’s charting, for the Los Angeles Chargers.
He’s shorter than your prototypical defensive tackle at 5-foot-11, 310 pounds, but the Texas product gets the job done as an interior disruptor.
Ford would offer a cheaper alternative to Williams.
Jarran Reed
Reed is on the older side at 32 years old, but he hasn’t slowed down as an interior pass rusher. He’s generated over 30 pressures in five of his last seasons. He’s coming off of a campaign with 48 pressures, four sacks, 10 QB hits and 23 stops in 2024 with the Seahawks.
Reed has never made a Pro Bowl or been named to an All-Pro team in his nine-year career, but he’s been a consistent performer with stops in Seattle, Kansas City and Green Bay.
Levi Onwuzurike
Not considered by the Patriots to be one of the top defensive tackle free agents, Onwuzurike does have a history with Terrell Williams.
Williams, now the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, was Onwuzirike’s defensive line coach in 2024, when he had his most productive season with the Lions.
The University of Washington product set a career high in snaps, pressures, sacks, QB hits and stops.
Jeffery Simmons
This one is a long shot, because there’s no real reason for the Titans to want to trade Simmons, 27, one of the best defensive tackles in football.
But Simmons played under Vrabel, Williams and Patriots defensive line coach Clint McMillan with the Titans. The three-time Pro Bowl selection destroyed the Patriots in their Week 9 contest last season.
It would take a lot to acquire Simmons, but the Patriots are looking at every possible way to improve their roster this offseason.
Vrabel hasn’t placed an emphasis on acquiring former Titans players, because he knew the roster had become shallow by his final season there as head coach in 2023, but Simmons was their top talent.
