FOXBOROUGH – Whether he’s sprinting down the field to beat Mike Vrabel to the next period or out randomly catching a couple punts for fun, Robert Spillane has already become a glue guy for the Patriots.

Not only has he made plays throughout his first training camp in Foxborough, but he’s also the signal caller in the middle running the show and brings an energy that the unit can’t help but try and match while they’re on the field.

It’s going to take some time, but if training camp Robert Spillane is ‘all the time’ Robert Spillane, fans may be talking about him the same way they talk about guys like Andre Tippett, Ted Johnson and Tedy Bruschi 10-20 years from now.

It’s clear just based on their interactions that Vrabel valued his relationship with Spillane and it’s a big reason why he was one of Vrabel’s first free agent signings. Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams also loved Spillane’s mentality and play style while he was on Vrabel’s staff in Tennessee. On Tuesday before practice, made it very clear how much he appreciates having No. 14 on his side.

“Love him. Like, he’s like having another coach on the field,” said Williams. “He can fix things. He can get guys lined up. I remember him…he was an undrafted free agent for us in – I almost said Oakland – in Tennessee in 2018 and I want to say he was a tryout guy. He still has that mentality, that underdog mentality.

“He does a good job of leading the defense and I mean, I love the kid.”

It’s that underdog mentality and ability to fix others’ mistakes that could propel Spillane into Patriots linebacker folklore if the defense ends up being as good as we all believe it can be.

He’s also got just the right amount of crazy too, which is never a bad thing for a team looking to get its edge back.