They loaded up on expensive imports for their defense after hiring Mike Vrabel, but the best breakout candidate for the New England Patriots is an unheralded favorite of the former Tennessee Titans head coach.
Linebacker Jack Gibbens isn’t a projected starter, but he’s the pick of Fox Sports’ David Helman. He recounted how “Gibbens got his first crack as an NFL starter in 2023 from then-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. Two years later, it’s no surprise to see him pop up with Vrabel in New England.”
Helman also credited Gibbens with being “smart, tough and has a knack for making tackles, which has to remind Vrabel of himself a little bit. Marquee free-agent signing Robert Spillane owns one of the starting linebacker jobs in New England, but there’s plenty of room for Gibbens to make an impression.”
It’s lofty praise for a player who has started just 20 games in three years, per Pro Football Reference. Gibbens doesn’t have the pedigree, but he is ideally suited to accelerating the change the Vrabel-led Patriots are making at linebacker.
Mike Vrabel Favorite Key to Patriots Defensive Shift
Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams want more speed and movement along the front seven. The change will be most noticeable at the linebacker level.
It’s where the Patriots had traditionally favored big-bodied thumpers able to play downhill against the run and take on interior offensive linemen. The new regime wants greater sideline-to-sideline athleticism, something a newcomer like Gibbens can provide.
He was rarely not around the ball for the Titans, with the player Vrabel signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 also proving an asset in space. Gibbens graded 75.7 in coverage, 13th among 189 linebackers last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The 26-year-old is not an elite player, but Gibbens and former Las Vegas Raiders starter Robert Spillane fit the new prototype for Patriots linebackers. So does a holdover from last season’s roster who could beat Gibbens to breakout status.
Patriots Have Another Breakout Candidate at LB
Perhaps no other member of the depth chart is better equipped to help the Patriots get quicker at linebacker than Christian Elliss. The 26-year-old is a hidden star thanks to natural range and ample experience playing within pass-defense sub-packages.
Those are good reasons why the Patriots swooped in with a last-minute deal to stop the Raiders from signing the restricted free agent. Elliss is ready to repay that faith by staying relevant, despite the influx of newcomers like Gibbens and Co.
The journeyman of several practice squads, including brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, played “with the top unit” at Patriots minicamp, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. He also noted how Elliss believes “every day has gotten better. That’s the same feedback I’ve gotten from the coaches, and it’s the same feedback I’d give to my teammates.”
A new coaching staff ready to put its trust in lighter, more active linebackers is good news for Ellis and Gibbens. So is Vrabel not judging a player by his draft status or free-agency contract.
He gave a chance to unheralded Gibbens and is doing the same for Elliss. The rewards could be considerable for a new-look Patriots defense.
