Mike Vrabel reveals whether Patriots will run a 3-4 or 4-3 defense

[reflexblue]

Huh, i didn't think milton williams was a 3-4 kind of guy, he seems a better fit for the 4-3

https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/mike-vrabel-reveals-whether-patriots-will-run-a-3-4-or-4-3-defense.htm

Mike Vrabel says the New England Patriots will be running a 3-4 structure for their base defense. However, he notes that the distinction doesn’t matter as much in today’s NFL.


During an appearance on “The Triple Option” podcast with Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram II, the Patriots coach was asked what type of defense his team plans to run this year.
Mike Vrabel

 

[Love The Drake]

Huh, i didn't think milton williams was a 3-4 kind of guy

https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2025/05/mike-vrabel-reveals-whether-patriots-will-run-a-3-4-or-4-3-defense.htm

Mike Vrabel says the New England Patriots will be running a 3-4 structure for their base defense. However, he notes that the distinction doesn’t matter as much in today’s NFL.


During an appearance on “The Triple Option” podcast with Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram II, the Patriots coach was asked what type of defense his team plans to run this year.
Mike Vrabel

I don’t understand I feel like the roster is set up more like a 4-3 as far as the personnel.

Interesting.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I think it’s going to be more of a hybrid, but I did expect a 4-3 base.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He said they'll be in base ~20% of the time.

This is nothing new.

 

[reflexblue]

I don’t understand I feel like the roster is set up more like a 4-3 as far as the personnel.

Interesting.

Yeah, me too, williams was successful playing in a 4-3, so i thought thats what the base defense would be.

 

[PWRxWLF]

White-Tonga-Barmore on the line.
Tavai-Jennings at OLB
Spillane and ?? at ILB.

Something like that doesn’t look too bad to me. A little light up the middle. Who would be the 2nd ILB, Gibbens? He’s recovering from injury, right? Anyone have other ideas how they’d line up in this formation?

 

[PWRxWLF]

White-Tonga-Barmore on the line.
Tavai-Jennings at OLB
Spillane and ?? at ILB.

Something like that doesn’t look too bad to me. A little light up the middle. Who would be the 2nd ILB, Gibbens? He’s recovering from injury, right? Anyone have other ideas how they’d line up in this formation?

Actually, Id sub out White for Williams. Try White at OLB, see if he can hold up and move Tavai inside.

 

[maust]

He said they'll be in base ~20% of the time.

This is nothing new.

Yep, Vrabel switched up in TN, why not here?

 

[PatMan]

Yeah, he might wish that, but it's not happening. He doesn't have a nose tackle or the linebackers to play a 3-4. Basically, they'll be a base 4-3 defense be mid-season if not sooner. Vrabes is a good coach so I don't believe he'll force a scheme that he doesn't have the personnel to run.

 

[Huckleberry1]

He said they'll be in base ~20% of the time.

This is nothing new.

I think that it’s more a matter of working out of a 3-4 base makes it easier to change sub packages in the fly. E. G… It will be very easy for them to go to a 4 man line by simply making White a DE on the fly, and having Spillane stay at MLB while Gibbens and Landry are outside. One of the greatest strengths of this defense is going to be its flexibility, and I believe we will see all sorts of wrinkles with the defense.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think that it’s more a matter of working out of a 3-4 base makes it easier to change sub packages in the fly. E. G… It will be very easy for them to go to a 4 man line by simply making White a DE on the fly, and having Spillane stay at MLB while Gibbens and Landry are outside. One of the greatest strengths of this defense is going to be its flexibility, and I believe we will see all sorts of wrinkles with the defense.

Yep!

Willie and Vrabes lined up many times as a hands-down 4-3 DE with Sey, Ty, and Bobby Hamilton 2 gapping.

 

[signbabybrady]

White-Tonga-Barmore on the line.
Tavai-Jennings at OLB
Spillane and ?? at ILB.

Something like that doesn’t look too bad to me. A little light up the middle. Who would be the 2nd ILB, Gibbens? He’s recovering from injury, right? Anyone have other ideas how they’d line up in this formation?

Actually, Id sub out White for Williams. Try White at OLB, see if he can hold up and move Tavai inside.

Milt will definitely be in the mix %90 of the time.

And I don't think White or Barmore come out much either. White makes sense at olb.

Tonga probably plays DT on obvious run downs and comes off otherwise. Barmore and white probably slide in on the pass downs.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Yeah, he might wish that, but it's not happening. He doesn't have a nose tackle or the linebackers to play a 3-4. Basically, they'll be a base 4-3 defense be mid-season if not sooner. Vrabes is a good coach so I don't believe he'll force a scheme that he doesn't have the personnel to run.

He brought in half of the defense so he knew when he was building it what he would have. As RW said they are only going to be in base 20% of the time, I just think it’s going to be easier to make changes with 3 DL.

 

[maust]

I think that it’s more a matter of working out of a 3-4 base makes it easier to change sub packages in the fly. E. G… It will be very easy for them to go to a 4 man line by simply making White a DE on the fly, and having Spillane stay at MLB while Gibbens and Landry are outside. One of the greatest strengths of this defense is going to be its flexibility, and I believe we will see all sorts of wrinkles with the defense.

Yep, outside of Gonzo and Davis being written in stone I think flexibility is going to be the signature of this D

 

[Huckleberry1]

Milt will definitely be in the mix %90 of the time.

And I don't think White or Barmore come out much either. White makes sense at olb.

Tonga probably plays DT on obvious run downs and comes off otherwise. Barmore and white probably slide in on the pass downs.

I think farmer is going to end up playing much more than people are thinking right now.

 

[Rob0729]

Vrabel is right about it doesn’t matter much. In today’s NFL, base defenses really don’t mean much. Teams play so much nickel and even dime defense that they spend less time in their base defense than those formations.

I would be more interested in whether he is going to run a one gap or two gap system. I think with Williams, White, and Barmore, I would rather have the d-linemen being more aggressive in getting into the backfield rather than tying up linemen. I am pretty sure Vrabel runs a one gap defense.

 

[signbabybrady]

Vrabel is right about it doesn’t matter much. In today’s NFL, base defenses really don’t mean much. Teams play so much nickel and even dime defense that they spend less time in their base defense than those formations.

I would be more interested in whether he is going to run a one gap or two gap system. I think with Williams, White, and Barmore, I would rather have the d-linemen being more aggressive in getting into the backfield rather than tying up linemen. I am pretty sure Vrabel runs a one gap defense.

I think it's either been implied or even stated that it will be 1 gap. Not sure if this could indicate the initial plans changed but I don't think so. I think it was probably the plan all along. Maybe something about the personnel made them switch back or maybe it was a Williams thing and with him missing time they switched back but again I think the most likely case is 1 gap 3-4 was the plan from the start.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Who cares really?
If they have a plan, and do that plan, they'll be successful.
If not, they won't.
I think it'll be a decent team at least.
Whatta I know, I'm JAG.

 

[Water Boy]

If I have one concern with the defense it will be stopping the run. I feel like outside of Tonga our D linemen are better at shooting gaps than holding the point of attack and we have smallish LBs to boot. We'll probably have a box safety on obvious run situations.

 

[Real fan 02]

Milt will definitely be in the mix %90 of the time.

And I don't think White or Barmore come out much either. White makes sense at olb.

Tonga probably plays DT on obvious run downs and comes off otherwise. Barmore and white probably slide in on the pass downs.

Agreed. White, milt and beast-more are all 3 down players.. I expect a mix of farmer and Tonga at DT as well. Landry moves all over the formation he can rush everywhere.. spillane is also a 3 down player.. I expect Jennings to be in on early downs as all.

(dam his game reminds me of teddy Bruschi so much.)