The New England Patriots retooled almost every part of their team this offseason. The coaches, offense, defense, and special teams all have a different look to them. Instead of having names on the backs of jerseys, the Patriots could have opted for name tags on the front with so many new faces.
The biggest addition may have been head coach Mike Vrabel. His approach and culture can be felt all over the roster additions this offseason. Vrabel had two missions heading into his first year: support Drake Maye and return the defense to one of the most feared in the NFL. The draft and free agency proved vital to the rebuilding effort.
The Patriots already had talent on the defensive side of the ball: Christian Gonzalez, Christian Barmore, Kyle Dugger and Anfernee Jennings, and Keion White were the building blocks of a great defense. The signings of Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, and K'Lavon Chaisson were strong signings, but none were more impactful than Milton Williams.
With the addition of Williams, the Patriots have shored up their pass rush, as Williams showed the ability from multiple positions to get into the backfield. In the modern NFL, the ability to show multiple looks and have positional flexibility is key to stopping offenses. Williams was a disruptor in the Eagles' vaunted defensive front, and the Patriots brought him in with similar expectations.
His biggest contribution may be with his approach to the game and the impact he can have as a leader of a newly formed line. Competing for the Super Bowl, let alone winning it, takes great sacrifice and hard work. Williams brings that championship pedigree to a team that has few remnants of the winning ways of the Patriots' past.
Defensive line coach Clinton McMillan has already taken note of how Williams' approach to the game is appreciated. (h/t Mark Daniels of MassLive)
"I just love him as a worker. I tell him every chance I get - he goes about his business the right way. He’s good in the meeting room, has good questions, is tedious with his notes, looking for ways to improve. I’m excited that I’ve had a chance to work with him and he’s done an outstanding job."Clinton McMillan
McMillan envisions a core of Harold Landry, Williams, Christian Barmore, and Keion White playing big roles for the Patriots this upcoming season. None of the others on that line have sniffed the success Williams has had at the team level. Looking at the current depth chart of the Patriots, Vrabel and McMillan look to have a heavy focus on their 4 starters, as the depth of the line is not quite at the same level as Williams' former team.
Some may look at the signing of Williams as a stretch as he only started 7 games but the Eagles were absolutely loaded. On a different team, Williams likely would have been a cornerstone. The Patriots looked not only at production and use, but like McMillian mentioned, his approach to the game. Their hope was that this would spill into the rest of the locker room and it appears it may have
Williams has taken Barmore under his wing. Barmore has noticed it, and Williams seems to have embraced his role as leader, and it is already rubbing off on his teammates.
"That’s my guy, my boy. We like to see who’s the first one in the weight room, who is the first one in the meeting room. We’re always going at it. He just makes me work hard, man. He’s a hell of a worker, a hell of a guy, a hell of a player. So, it’s just, I’m really excited definitely to see him and it’s really exciting to be right with him."Christian Barmore
Williams reiterated the same feeling towards the fellow defensive tackle.
"It’s been good. It’s been good. Me and him have been out there competing every day coming in. We’ve been joking with each other, trying to see who’s going to beat each other in when we come in, in the morning."Milton Williams
The signing of Williams seems to have set a new tone for the defensive line, and Patriots fans should rejoice since strong play up front often leads to overall defensive success. Williams is bringing in more than just a sizable paycheck. He's bringing a new attitude and culture to a team that didn't have one last year. If OTAs and offseason workouts are any indication of what is to come, the Patriots may have found a bargain, even at Williams' price tag.