I am both excited and dealing with the Sunday scaries at the same time. That's what happens when you close in on the start of training camp: "We interrupt this family for the football season." I'm wrapping up positional previews with offensive tackles last, and the interior defensive line group today.
IOL: Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Khyiiris Tonga, Joshua Farmer, Jeremiah Pharms, Jaquelin Roy, Jahvaree Ritzie, Isaiah Iton
What I Like About This Group: If this goes the way the talent says it should, the two starters are amongst the team's most gifted and potentially dominant players.
What I Dislike About This Group: Depth. Yes, the Pats are in a better spot because adding Williams gives them a layer of protection with Barmore's health issue, but unless Farmer is ready for prime time sooner rather than later, there's bound to be a significant drop-off.
X-Factor: Is Williams ready to transition from a part-time player to someone who rarely comes off the field?
Yes, Mr. Bedard, Milton Williams isn't worth the money. A part-time player getting that much scratch is absurd, and the best organizations never make their living feeding off free agency. It's unsustainable (the Patriots' post-2021 spending spree is a prime example). But this team had very little choice. They tried to lure Chris Godwin, Ronnie Stanley, and even D.K. Metcalf (via trade), among others, and got stiff-armed. They couldn't allow Williams, who was thisclose to signing with the Carolina Panthers, to get away. $63 million guaranteed accomplished that.
So, yeah, he's not that player. Not right now. But the Pats are banking that it's coming, preferably in 2025 and 2026. The team has a possible out following that second season and would get hit with $12 million in dead cap. Not horrible, not with the cap escalating like my cholesterol after a week of eating ice cream with damn near every meal (Awaken 180, is that you?), but it gives the team a little wiggle room if Williams doesn't get where they'd hope. If he does? Now we're talking.
The other part of this equation is Barmore. Two seasons ago, he looked like he was going to be one of the best interior defensive linemen in football. Then came the blood clots and a recurrence just four weeks after he returned to game action. Barmore's play wasn't noteworthy, but then again, to expect otherwise would have been foolish.
This spring, the 25-year-old showed up to OTAs more fit and bubbling with the kind of enthusiasm that we got to know well during his breakout second season. He's maintained that conditioning during the five weeks between mini-camp and the start of training camp. Now, I'm not guaranteeing that good head space equates to Barmore being back and back big, but I'm not not saying it either (Yeah, double negative. Sue me).
And again, a quick reminder: last year, Daniel Ekuale had to assume most of Barmore's snaps. He finished the year with two sacks, one QB hit, and six hurries in 723 snaps. The year prior, Barmore had eight sacks, seven QB hits, and 34 hurries in 750 snaps.
This offseason, the Pats added Tonga on a one-year deal for $2.7 million, with only $1 million guaranteed. He's a large human who is now on his fifth team since entering the league as a UDFA from BYU in 2021. Tonga has been a situational player used primarily as a run stopper, and every once in a while, stumbles upon a quarterback. He's never played more than 300 snaps in a single season (2022-23 with Minnesota).
Vrabel and company liked Farmer enough to trade back into the fourth round and select him out of Florida State. He's 6'3" and hovers around 300 pounds. He's got long arms and has monster paws (10 1/4 inches) that could eclipse the sun. It's hard to get a real impression of Farmer based on the spring, but his time is about to come. We'll see if he's ready for it. It would certainly help if he is.
Pharms has some pass-rushing ability and more experience than his competitors (assuming the Pats keep five interior DL). He's another player who's weaknesses get exposed the more he's forced to play. Roy, a 2023 5th-rounder (picked by Minnesota), showed something during a couple of games last year before losing the back half of the year to injury. Ritzie has similar measurements to Farmer and looks like he's been on Keion White's weight training plan. He rebounded from a subpar junior season at North Carolina to record 6.5 sacks for the Tar Heels.
