Patriots' Star Defender Puts NFL on Notice

This New England Patriots star defender has fired a warning shot to the rest of the NFL.

Mar 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams discusses his recent free agent addition to the Patriots with the media at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots took a major step back defensively this past season, especially when it comes to their front seven.

The Patriots accumulated just 28 sacks during the 2024 NFL campaign, which ranked last in the league. Not surprisingly, New England instantly addressed that problem in free agency, signing edge rusher Harold Landry and defensive tackle Milton Williams to lucrative deals.

Williams' stock rose significantly thanks to a brilliant performance during the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs, where the 26-year-old logged a couple of sacks and wreaked havoc in the Chiefs' backfield throughout the night.

Now, Williams is hoping to bring that same production to Foxborough, and during a recent appearance on the Green Light Podcast with Chris Long, he fired a warning to the rest of the league.

“I already told [Keion White], like, ‘If we end up on the same side, and we’re just going to go rush, it’s going to get nasty,’” Williams said. “It’s going to get nasty, for sure.”

Williams inked a four-year, $104 million contract with the Pats last month, which definitely appeared to be an overpay considering he played in just 48 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps this past year. During that time, he posted 24 tackles and five sacks.

Realistically speaking, the former third-round pick was a rotational player in Philadelphia, but the Patriots are obviously hoping that he can do more with extended playing time.

“I’m definitely excited,” Williams added. “We just started our OTA program — just getting work in, getting around the guys, getting to know them. I’m already trying to pick Coach [Mike] Vrabel’s brain. He came in our meeting, gave us some tips and pointers. It’s going to be fun.”

We'll see if Williams can, in fact, take his game to the next level in New England.

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