Under the tutelage of Terrell Williams, the Detroit Lions had a fairly successful defense the last two seasons, one of which culminated with an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. Williams' track record coaching on that side of the ball, which he has done since 1998, has been strong, although the 2025 season with the Patriots will mark his first season as a defensive coordinator.
The Patriots loaded up on that side of the ball in free agency this offseason, with cornerback Carlton Davis III set to have a reunion of sorts with one of his former coaches after coming over from the Lions. Having spent most of his career coaching defensive linemen, Williams should have a field day with guys like Christian Barmore, Keion White, and Milton Williams at his disposal.
However, Williams isn't garnering much respect from Pro Football Network, which ranked Williams 30th among the league's 32 defensive coordinators heading into the 2025 season. One could argue that's not a knock on Williams, given this is his first defensive coordinator gig, and head coach Mike Vrabel could also have a say in calling the plays on that side of the ball. However, the Patriots' defense will likely be better than this ranking suggests.
Terrell Williams will be a top-10 defensive coordinator when it's all said and done
Williams was not present during much of the offseason program after recovering from a health emergency, but he was communicating with Vrabel and his players via Zoom and other social media platforms.
If Williams' track record in Detroit is any indication - the Lions were the fifth-best team against the run last season - then opponents will have a tough time running the football against New England this season. The Patriots gave up nearly five yards per carry last season, so Williams' focus on stopping the run will be a welcome change.
Even though he has never been a defensive coordinator and it remains unclear who will call the plays from the sideline, ranking him near the bottom of the barrel seems somewhat unreasonable, especially given what the Patriots did in the offseason to fortify their defense.
That should provide New England with even more motivation to prove doubters wrong. Again, sometimes having low expectations and less pressure on your shoulders isn't a bad thing.
And by the end of this season, Williams could very well churn himself up these rankings if the Patriots' defense has a strong campaign.
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