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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

Patriots Addition Could Be Primed for Major Breakout

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jared Koch | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The New England Patriots made a ton of moves on both sides of the ball this offseason in an effort to give this group a much better path to success than was previously seen during their 2024 and 2023 campaigns, resulting in only four wins to their name in each.

And for the most part, the Patriots did exactly that over the past few months, giving this unit a bit of added optimism heading into the 2025 campaign.

But, among their long list of changes and improvements to the roster, and even the coaching staff, there may be one major addition in the mix who may not only be a key difference maker for New England, but also with a table set for an improved, potential breakout season–– that being free agent signing Milton Williams.

NFL.com analyst Marc Ross is among those with high expectations for Williams' first year in New England, naming the Patriots' defensive tackle among the league's top ten players "guaranteed" to improve for the 2025 season.

"Williams was my colleague Gregg Rosenthal's top free agent this offseason, which speaks to Williams' impact given he played fewer than 50 percent of Philadelphia's defensive snaps in each of his four seasons with the team," Ross wrote. "In a backup role behind first-round draft picks Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, Williams totaled a career-high five sacks and 35 QB pressures in 2024 (both third on the team). His 12.9 percent QB pressure rate was highest among NFL defensive tackles, per Next Gen Stats. He saved his best performance for last with two sacks in the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory."

"It can be risky paying part-time players big-time money like the Patriots did this offseason with Williams (four-year, $104 million deal)," Ross continued. "He will be tasked with turning around a defense that ranked 22nd in yards and points allowed in 2024. The Patriots signed a slew of defensive veterans, includingHarold Landry, Robert Spillane and Carlton Davis III, for new head coach Mike Vrabel to deploy, and it's clear early on that Vrabel is looking for Williams toset the tonein his revamped D-line. He brings the experience to a front that features some young but talented disruptors in now healthy Christian Barmore and third-year defensive end Keion White, who has already drawn praise from Williams. The 26-year-old defensive tackle is positioned to build on his 2024 breakout season."

Williams made a ton of headlines once first joining the Patriots, logging the biggest contract in team history at four years, over $100 million, hinting that New England has some extremely big plans when it comes to utilizing the former Philadelphia Eagles defender within their front seven.

Compared to his last regular season campaign in Philadelphia, Williams' counting stats didn't quite jump off the page, only logging five total sacks and seven starts as a rotational player in the Eagles' star-studded defensive line.

Now, he's destined to have a wildly different role from his previous showing, being a full-time starter in the Patriots' front seven, and should be one to make a considerable impact of being a disruptor in New England's trenches, hopefully leading to some big-time, much-needed improvements in this group's defense.

And if Williams' dominant Super Bowl performance was a sign of anything, the Patriots could be getting a true difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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