Milton Williams was itching to get after the quarterback.
The problem is that he wasn’t allowed to touch Drake Maye.
After signing a massive contract with the Patriots in free agency, Williams is excited to show everyone what he can do on the defensive line. The team hopes the 26-year-old will make a major impact in their defense.
After a successful spring, Williams planned to leave New England, return home, and get ready to put his pads on for training camp. That’s when contact is allowed – and this defensive tackle plans on shining.
“Go back to Texas and do my training. Make sure I come back into training camp in tip-top shape and ready to go,” Williams said. “I’m ready to use some of this physicality. We’ve got to rush and then stop. (This spring) we’ve got to let the quarterback throw the ball. I’ll come around and be ready for sure.”
In four seasons in Philadelphia, Williams showed game-wrecking ability in the middle of the Eagles defensive line. After making four sacks in 2022, his second NFL season, Williams is coming off the best year of his career.
Last season, he finished with 24 tackles, five sacks, and 10 quarterback hits. One of his best games came in Super Bowl LIX when he sacked Patrick Mahomes twice and had a forced fumble in the Eagles win. His athleticism and ability made him a top target for the Patriots in free agency and the team signed him to a 4-year, $104 million contract.
For a player who relies on physicality, Williams focused on the finesse part of his game this spring.
“It’s been good. Just trying to get up here and get familiar with everybody,” Williams said. “Get familair with the system, communication and just getting around the guys, seeing what they like to do – communication, how we’re going to rush together. Just working on being one unit. It’s been good though.”
The Patriots finished last in the NFL in sacks in 2024. After adding Williams and Harold Landry, the hope is that this defensive line will help lead the way on defense. The probable starting unit of Landry, Williams, Christian Barmore, and Keion White has a ton of potential.
As Williams noted, it was tough to see that potential in OTAs and minicamp. That’s why he can’t wait to return to Foxborough for training camp at the end of July.
“You really can’t make too much of an impact. They don’t want us to bat the ball down. We have to let the quarterback throw. No power rushes. It’s all finesse,” Williams said. “The line can kind of sit back and know we can’t power, know we can’t bull rush them… Training camp, we’ll be able to show what we can really do.”
