Most of the attention given to the state of the defensive line for the New England Patriots in 2025 has naturally focused on big names like Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, but a hidden gem up front is predicted to “jumpstart” his career after building “momentum” last season.
The under-the-radar lineman in question is Jeremiah Pharms Jr. He’s being touted for bigger things by Patriots.com Staff Writer Mike Dussault, who believes the player “enters his third season with momentum, having started five games in 2024 and notching 16 solo tackles and two sacks.”
Dussault is convinced “Pharms’ consistency and improvement will make him a factor, while the scheme change could help jumpstart an even bigger season.”
It’s a bold take about a rotational D-lineman overshadowed by big-ticket new arrival Williams and more dynamic incumbent Barmore. Pharms also has traits better suited to the more conservative, two-gap system the Pats played up front for years.
New head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams are planning something more aggressive in the trenches for this season. Yet, as Dussault pointed out, there’s still an important place for more functional linemen like Pharms.
Jeremiah Pharms Jr. Still Has Place on New Patriots Line
The rotation looks very different after the Patriots committed free agency dollars and 2025 NFL draft capital to the defensive line. Those decisions yielded $104-million narrative-changer Williams, as well as fourth-round pick Joshua Farmer, credited by Dussault as “a high-motor disruptor” with “the physical tools to contribute immediately.”
Both Farmer and Williams fit the more active, attacking style Vrabel and his DC want up front, particularly along the interior. So does Barmore, the most athletic defensive tackle on the roster, and one who should see his role expand this year.
It’s a crowded field, but there’ still room for Pharms. Especially if he can continue making plays like these rapid pressures and run stuffs against the Chicago Bears from last season, highlighted by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS Media.
Jeremiah Pharms has flashed impressive quickness and hand-fighting since late last season, but yesterday was his most consistent performance of 2024
Pharms set career-highs with 3 pressures, including his first career sack, and 3 tackles for loss/no gain vs run pic.twitter.com/RqXBWFxJnN
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) November 11, 2024
The pressures and sacks show Pharms can handle the changes the Pats are making along the focal point of their defense, but the run stops could be more valuable for an underrated reason.
Patriots Need Balance Up Front
A drive to become more athletic up front can’t come at the expense of still being sturdy enough to stop the run. The Patriots want quicker linemen and that usually means lighter trench warriors, but as Dussault pointed out, a knack for “clogging lanes and absorbing double teams on early downs” can add “stability to a group otherwise built on quickness and disruption.”
Dussault was talking about Khyiris Tonga, an overlooked arrival in free agency who plays like a classic space-eating nose tackle over the ball. Yet, the same argument can be applied to Pharms as a 6-foot-2, 300-pounder who can handle double teams inside and on the edge.
Those will be niche but vital skills since New England’s top two defensive tackles are not the strongest against the run. As Chad Graff of The Athletic detailed, “While he was one of the best defensive tackles against the pass a year ago, Williams was graded as the 167th of 219 defensive tackles against the run, per Pro Football Focus.”
Graff also noted “the fear is that the duo of Williams and Barmore gets bullied in the running game badly enough that they can’t be on the field together unless it’s an obvious passing situation.”
If Pharms can prove a consistent run-stuffer he’ll get onto the field more often. Particularly when Vrabel still has the Patriots using three-man lines as a base defense.
