The Patriots’ 2025 free agents may make a big impact, perhaps a small one. But regardless, there’s a plan.

A stark contrast from both the 2021 splurge and quiet 2023 off-season, the Pats added free agents with a clear purpose in mind for them on the field. They spent big where it felt necessary, as opposed to throwing money at whoever was out there. And they took advantage of Mike Vrabel’s connections and knowledge of certain players around the league, something Jerod Mayo couldn’t accomplish.

The Patriots did come up disappointingly short in free agency at left tackle, leaving themselves to sign aging veterans and/or address it in the draft. But they did land a premium name at wide receiver by the skin of their teeth, with the addition of Stefon Diggs.

And among the other free agents the Patriots did land, a plan for both the individuals and for the team has emerged. That’s who we’re going to focus on here. Here’s a closer look at some of the Patriots’ key free-agent signings, and points to consider for each of them…

Diggs’ Route Versatility

Diggs is a great fit for what Josh McDaniels is going to want to do in the passing game. There’s no route he can’t run and no spot on the field he can’t line up.

Diggs began his career playing on the perimeter for the Vikings, but primarily played the slot in his breakout 2016 season. He’s since lined up outside more than inside every year, but had almost an even split in his lone season with the Texans (226 snaps outside/196 snaps in slot).

As the clear-cut No. 1 target for Drake Maye, Diggs makes the most sense as the Patriots’ starting “X” outside receiver, especially since DeMario “Pop” Douglas figures to play a lot inside, and Kendrick Bourne and Ja’Lynn Polk both have potential to line up all over the field. But McDaniels can reasonably be expected to get creative and move the receivers around. Diggs will be the Pats’ ultimate chess piece, on top of their most talented pass-catcher.

It’s reasonable to expect that Diggs will be used similarly to how he was used with the Bills, who ran an offense that also has foundations in the Erhardt-Perkins system. His 2023 route tree promises a lot of hitches and slants to the inside, and out routes to the sideline. That seems like his best chance to connect with Maye for chunk plays down the field and yards after the catch.

Williams’ Simmons Similarities

The Patriots’ biggest fish in free agency, Milton Williams is on the books for four years and up to $104 million, $51M of which was guaranteed at signing. If all goes well, he will assume a similar, critical role on the Patriots defense as Vrabel’s former Titans stalwart, Jeffery Simmons.

Williams compares to Simmons in some aspects of playing style and would likely be deployed in similar spots on the field. Both can effectively play the 3-technique, lining up between the guard and tackle. But the comparison isn’t perfect.

For one, Simmons (6-foot-4, 305 pounds) is appreciably bigger than Williams (6-foot-2, 290). While Williams is known to have good power for his size, Simmons’ added mass has made him a more effective run-stopper in his career.

Simmons played 38.7% of his 657 defensive snaps against the run in 2023, the last time he played under Vrabel, compared to 35.8% for Williams in 653 snaps for the 2024 Eagles. Simmons was also more effective in the ground game in more action, amassing 30 tackles with a 14% missed tackle rate, contrasting with Williams’ 16 tackles and 17.9% misses.

Williams played better against the run for the Eagles in 2022 and 2023, when he lined up more often as a defensive end than he did in 2024. He also lined up mostly as a right defensive tackle (452-of-503 snaps), while Simmons in 2023 lined up on the left and right sides evenly (205 left, 202 right).

Coming off a career-high 48% of defensive snaps, Williams’ overall workload is set to jump for the Patriots. He’ll need to adjust to playing well over 50% of the time, and to having entirely new teammates alongside him as he transitions away from a deep, dynamic Eagles front.

Whether he lives up to the standard set by Simmons in Tennessee will have to be proven on the field.

Spillane’s Coverage

A different kind of defender for the next era of Patriots football, Robert Spillane lined up at inside linebacker on 89.9% of his defensive snaps in 2024 for the Raiders. But while he’s been at his best as a tackling machine (157 total tackles in 2024), he’s lined up for more snaps in coverage than in run defense over the past two seasons.

Spillane has never been spectacular in coverage, but he showed signs of progress by making more big plays in 2024. He logged a career-best four total pass breakups with two interceptions.

Spillane has a nose for the ball, and even if he’s targeted in the passing game, he can be relied upon to minimize the YAC with his tackling ability.

Epps’ Experience

Marcus Epps most recently played for the Raiders, but he played three seasons with the Eagles from 2020-22, and this is where he enjoyed his best production and experience.

As recently as 2022, Vrabel utilized more two-safety looks down the field, which fell in line with growing trends in the league to slow down big-play passing offenses. He will also line up 3-4 defensive backs deep at the snap, often two safeties, before rotating one into the box post-snap, leaving one deep safety.

Epps figures to be a major part of those coverages and rotations, particularly as the free safety – whether manning “center field” by himself or sharing deep responsibilities. From 2023-24 with the Raiders, he had a remarkably even snap distribution of how he lined up on the field:

Single free safety: 256
Left free safety: 274
Right free safety: 245
Box: 270
Slot: 142

Epps’ versatility to play all different safety spots could make him a good chess piece for Vrabel to disguise pre-snap coverages and rotate him to different roles post-snap. However, he is the clear-cut best option to play deep safety, so a smart offense may not necessarily bite on his disguises.

Landry’s Edge Role

One of the key characteristics of Vrabel’s defense is the way he will utilize outside linebackers. The personnel grouping will resemble a 3-4, but the system is really more of a “4-3 under” defense. The “under” part refers to the weak-side 3-technique defensive tackle (likely to be Milton Williams). But a big part of what makes this system unique is Harold Landry’s likely role.

A pure edge defender, Landry almost always lines up as either an end or an outside linebacker, depending on the alignment. He will be utilized as what you’d typically see out of a bigger defensive end, but as a smaller, quicker OLB. Landry can set the edge against the run, but his bread & butter is his quickness off the line as a pass-rusher, which has always made him a great fit for Vrabel’s aggressive “one-gap” style.

This Patriots defense is going to attack up front more than we’ve ever seen from Bill Belichick’s defenses. Mayo carried over plenty of those qualities, so 2025 will truly mark a sea change on this side of the ball. And Landry’s usage will be critical to the unit, and what sets it apart from New England defenses of the past.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.