When the Patriots signed defensive tackle Milton Williams in free agency to a four-year, $104 million contract, it would end up being the richest contract in franchise history. He has the highest AAV on the team at $26 million and knows that it comes with a vast amount of expectations.
In his four-year career, Williams has only played less than 50% of snaps in every season. The most he’s played was in 2024 when he logged 48% of snaps and contributed greatly to winning the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.
During a press conference in May, head coach Mike Vrabel said that it’s expected that Williams is going to play more than 50% of the defensive snaps and use him more than the Eagles did. On Sunday, Williams said that he’s ready for that opportunity.
“There’s more plays, more snaps, there's more opportunity for production to help the team win. Since I got to the NFL, I’ve always been somebody out there that’s trying to get production and help the team win. Now I’m definitely going to get the opportunity, I’m definitely looking forward to it and taking advantage of every snap I get in there, trying to lead us to victory as much as I can.”
With the start of the 2025 season right around the corner, Williams is eager to get the season started and show the organization and the fans what he brings to the table and how he will protect their home field.
“Oh yeah, guys know that time is coming, that time coming. Somebody else is going to be coming in here. It’s our house, we gotta protect it.”
Williams also mentioned that he understands the expectations that are on him this season and how he just puts his head down, focuses, and goes to work through all the noise.
“My mindset is not too different. Of course I know the expectations that I have for myself, and people got for me. I just try to stay even-keeled on a lot of that stuff and just staying consistent and doing what they ask me to do and just being where I’m supposed to be: executing, winning my matchups when I’m supposed to and be in the right gap. Just leading the guys and bringing the group along.”
The plan is for Williams to line up next to Christian Barmore and become a dangerous tandem on the defensive line, one that is poised to be ranked atop the NFL this season.