Patriots To Sign LB Robert Spillane

Robert Spillane established himself as a starter during his Raiders tenure, and Pete Carroll expressed interest in retaining the veteran linebacker. But free agency will lure him out of Las Vegas.

The Patriots will use their league-leading cap-space figure to bring in Spillane, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported (via NFL Network). It is a three-year, $37.5MM deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Spillane will see $20.6MM guaranteed, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur tweets.

After Spillane’s two-year, $7MM deal came following a 59% usage-rate Steelers season, the Raiders were correct in buying low. He started all 34 games he played over the past two years, posting 97 and 98% snap rates in those seasons. The Patriots will pay up for his age-29 and age-30 seasons. Spillane made 158 tackles last season and 148 in 2023, stuffing box scores despite the Raiders failing to improve in this span.

While still better as a thumper type, Spillane showed coverage skills with five INTs and 11 passes defensed in that span. The former UDFA also registered 5.5 sacks in his two Las Vegas years, delivering in just about every facet for struggling teams. Pro Football Focus did observe a disparity between Spillane’s run- and pass-defending skills, ranking him sixth among ILBs in run stoppage and in the bottom third against the pass.

Although Spillane will not be working under Josh McDaniels, this does bring a reunion between a productive Raider and the coach who was in charge when Las Vegas brought him in during the 2023 offseason. Spillane joins a few defenders to stop through New England early in free agency, accompanying Harold Landry, Milton Williams and Carlton Davis. Not landing contracts on the level those higher-end free agents did, Spillane still secured a significant raise from his Raiders pact and will be asked to play a starting role alongside them in Foxborough next season.