FOXBOROUGH – Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer was the only familiar face on Friday when he and the team's new-look defensive coaching staff met with the media and offered their outlooks on the start of the team's offseason program, slated to begin on Monday.
Springer, a holdover from 2024's staff, will look to build off a solid first year in which his special teams ranked 13th in the NFL according to Sports Illustrated’s composite rankings. Brenden Schooler also made his first Pro Bowl and earned an All-Pro nod under Springer and will continue to be a key building block for the second-year coach.
Following the departure of his 2024 kicker Joey Slye to the Titans, this offseason has seen Springer and assistant special teams coach Bob Quinn searching for a potential kicker to compete with John Parker Romo. Romo joined the Patriots practice squad in December last season and re-signed with the team but Springer said the vet is well aware that sooner or later he'll have competition at the position.
"I like being the special teams coordinator," said Springer. "I want to continue to do that and finding the kicker is a very important factor in that, so I take that job very, very seriously, and it's very important if you want to build the stability that they've had in the past here.
"We've seen probably every kicker in the country, I think, by now. So we've got a good foundation of what's out there, whether it's draftable or it's a free agent or not. Whatever process we go down, we get to draft weekend and or post-draft, we'll approach it and that's why we have a plan for all of it."
Springer highlighted potential Patriots Hall of Fame inductee Adam Vinatieri as well as former Patriots kicker Nick Folk as the kinds of ideal professionals who are never rattled and always go about their business with a steadfast resolve as the prototype that he'll be looking for.
And who they are as people will play as big of a role as the power and accuracy of their leg.
"First and foremost, the character part of it is really important," said Springer. "I don't want just a kicker. I want a guy that's gonna be great in the locker room, that can go out and hang out with tight end Hunter Henry, go hang out with Drake Maye and, you know, hang out in the locker room. Hang out outside of this place. I want a guy's guy, an athlete, and that's consistent through college and or the NFL, whether it's a free agent or it's a college kid."
After Springer there were five new faces in the meeting rooms as the new defensive assistants touched base with the media for the first time since landing in New England.
Four of them – defensive line coach Clint McMillan, inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton and safeties coach Scott Booker – all have experience coaching with Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, while outside linebackers coach Mike Smith was the lone coach who has not already have coached under Vrabel in some capacity.
One word popped up repeatedly when the coaches described the players and type of play they're looking for – violence. It seems like a prerequisite as Vrabel and his staff look to remake the defense into a new mold.
It all starts Monday with the start of the offseason program.
Here's a roundup of some quotes of note from the defensive assistants.
Defensive line coach Clint McMillan on Milton Williams:
"I think the great thing with Milton is he adds, obviously what you see on tape, a level of violence and explosiveness and has an ability to affect the quarterback, which is, everyone kind of got to see that, especially in the Super Bowl."
Defensive line coach Clint McMillan on Keion White:
"Obviously, he's a talented player. I think there's room to grow, just like every player. So excited just to get him [in the building] and let him do the things that he does. We'll let all these guys play fast, play aggressive, and make sure we're doing everything to help the team and then continue to help the players."
Safeties coach Scott Booker on deploying multiple safety:
"You want versatility within the safety position, like being able to play high, playing in the box, but you also want versatility, position by position. So a guy that can potentially play safety but also can play nickel, a guy that can play safety, but also come down and play linebacker on third down, we're looking for those guys, and you know, it starts building the foundation of our whole defense."
Cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton on the slot cornerback position:
"I see it very much like the slot receiver. It comes in all shapes and sizes… I think that it's based on what type of offense you're playing. Based on do you want to be in a nickel defense versus bigger personnel on offense? Or is it a pass only? You could have multiple guys do it, but it's not a one-size-fits-all position, and it's a difficult position to play. But once again, if you have guys with instincts, then usually the body type is not as important. The coverage skills are, but the instincts are where the difference lies in my opinion."
Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr on what the defense will look for from their linebacker:
"I think any style that we've been a part of, the unwavering violence is a huge part of that. I don't think [about] size so much. Yeah, like if you're 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, and you're doing that unwavering violence attribute at that position, it could be the same from like a 5-foot-11, 220-pound guy. I'm a firm believer that your actions speak for everything so being aggressive, being violent, not turning down blocks, having a good toolbox of tools to defeat the offensive player, but it's not just like always finesse, and there is some physicality, there is some violence. I mean, we're huge into guys that don't mind playing violent football."
Safeties coach Scott Booker on Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers:
"When you watch his tape, the first thing that jumps out is violence. Right? He is a violent DB. And in today's age where you don't see as much violence as you may have seen 20 years ago from DBs and from safeties. And so, love that violence from him and also, like I just said, is versatility. He played multiple positions last year and in his past. So just excited to get him here, excited to talk to him and to teach him our defense."
