Latest news with #MiltonWilliams
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
8 standouts from Patriots joint training camp practice with Commanders
The New England Patriots welcomed the Washington Commanders to Foxborough for a joint practice on Wednesday. It was a highly competitive and physical practice that ended with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel showing off a little blood on the side of his face. One thing was certain after this practice session: This year's Patriots team is far more scrappy than it was last season. Many walked away with the impression that the Patriots had the upper hand against a Commanders team that advanced to the NFC Championship Game last season. There were positives to take away on both sides of the ball for the Patriots. Here were the eight standout players from Day 12 of training camp practice: QB Drake Maye Outside of one interception during a red zone drill, Drake Maye was dealing against the Commanders' defense. He finished the practice going 15-of-21 with multiple impressive throws. There were also numerous drops on the field by receivers, including a would-be touchdown pass to rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson. So Maye's production could have been even higher. DT Milton Williams The consistent pass rush the Patriots generated up front was one of the biggest takeaways from Wednesday's practice. Milton Williams being one of the lead enforcers along the defensive front was a reason for it. He had dominant reps in one-on-ones and helped put some heat on Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels during the competitive team periods. QB Joshua Dobbs Drake Maye wasn't the only quarterback dealing in this practice. Veteran Joshua Dobbs also had a strong outing against the Commanders' defense. Overall, he finished the practice going 18-of-22 passing during the competitive team periods. If anything, this is proof that both quarterbacks appear to be growing more comfortable with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' playcalling. WR Demario Douglas With Stefon Diggs sidelined for 11-on-11s, Demario Douglas stepped up as Drake Maye's favorite target on the field. The connection between the duo has only strengthened in training camp, and it gave Commanders defenders fits at practice. Douglas looked unguardable at times on the field. He is truly one of the more underrated receivers in the NFL. CB Alex Austin With Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis sidelined, Alex Austin stepped up in a big way against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders' offense. Daniels went 0-for-2 when targeting Austin during the red zone period near the end of practice. Austin has been an ascending defensive back since his arrival in New England, and he could be ready to take things to the next level in 2025. DT Christian Barmore Christian Barmore looks like he's ready to pick right back up where he left off before the blood clots in 2024. Like Milton Williams, he shined in one-on-one reps and also kept Jayden Daniels on his heels during the team periods. The combination of Barmore and Williams could be one of the scariest defensive fronts in the league this year. DT Khyiris Tonga Khyiris Tonga has been one of the more impressive defensive players in training camp. He's a big-bodied space-eater capable of stuffing runs, and like we saw on Wednesday, generating pressure up the middle. The addition of the veteran defensive tackle to a group that already included Milton Williams and Christian Barmore could pay off in a major way for the Patriots' defense. Tonga looked impressive on the practice field against the Commanders. WR Mack Hollins This was a solid practice from Mack Hollins, who hasn't had many physical reps with the offense in training camp. However, it's clear he's been doing the mental work by the multiple catches he came down with at Wednesday's practice. Perhaps his most impressive play came on a deep pass from quarterback Joshua Dobbs, which he hauled in with one arm for a touchdown. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Milton Williams: Vrabel's playing experience one of the reasons I chose NE
Patriots off-season signing, Milton Williams says that head coach Mike Vrabel's experience in the trenches is one of the reasons he's in Foxboro. Milton Williams: Vrabel's playing experience one of the reasons I chose NE originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
CBS News
28-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Which Patriots players have popped in training camp so far?
Everything is about to start popping down in Foxboro, with the New England Patriots set to put on pads for the first time of training camp on Monday. Now we'll really be able to figure out who is playing well and ready for some real, actual football. But that doesn't mean we're just going to dismiss what the team did over its first four un-padded practices. Mike Vrabel's squad ramped things up Saturday before a day off on Sunday, and while the practices have been mostly installation, there have been a number of players who have stood out during the sessions. WBZ-TV's Dan Roche and ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss have been at every practice, and highlighted three players who have stood out to them on Sunday night's Sports Final. DeMario Douglas: "Pop" Douglas has been making lots of plays as Drake Maye's slot receiver this summer. Robert Spillane: The linebacker is a ball of energy on the field. D.J. James: The first-year cornerback out of Auburn had the first interception of camp and PBU on Kyle Williams. Robert Spillane: Rochie called Spillane "Mr. Energy" and "Mr. Football Nut." Milton Williams: The defensive tackle is determined to be a leader on the Patriots after signing a massive contract in the offseason. Roche said Williams brought some Vince Wilfork-like force to practice the other day when he got up twice on Maye against rookie Jared Wilson. "It will be hard to live up to a four-year, $104 million contract, but I really like his attitude and his approach. He wants to be a leader of a team," Reiss said of Williams. "With the Eagles, where he played less than 50 percent of the snaps, he was one of a rotation. He wants to be the guy and he talked about how he was boxing leading up to camp, keeping his hands up and moving his feet to help his conditioning. The Patriots want to play fast and get to the other line of scrimmage, and his play style really reflects that." TreVeyon Henderson: Roche said the rookie running back's speed is apparent whenever he touches the football. Outside of the offensive line, New England's wide receiver corps is getting the most attention at camp with 12 players fighting for six or seven roster spots. Stefon Diggs has been the tone-setter of the group, as the first receiver off the line and drills and as a leader and a mentor to the rest of the pack. Kayshon Boutte has been second up in drills, and Douglas has been making tons of plays out of the slot. Rookie Kyle Williams has been solid behind that trio, while veteran Kendrick Bourne and undrafted rookie Efton Chism are vying for spots. Veteran Mack Hollins remains on PUP, but he'll have a spot on the team when he returns. Where do second-year receivers Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker figure into the mix? Right now, they're both on the outside looking in, as Polk has yet to take the practice field with the team and outside of a good showing Sunday, Baker hasn't done much. "Baker showed out a little bit [Sunday] with a nice play and a nice catch," noted Roche. "But to me, Polk, you see him on the conditioning field and it's like, 'You need to get out here if you're going to be a player.'" "I think Mike Vrabel said something to Stefon Diggs after the boat incident, and Diggs has been on his best behavior and has really been a leader. If I'm Mike Vrabel, and I'm sure he's done it, I go to Polk and Baker and say, 'Guys, it's getting late here. You need to jump in and go.' If they don't, I don't think they'd be afraid to say goodbye," added Roche. We should get a better idea of the wide receiver battle once pads go on. But about a week into camp, both Polk and Baker seemingly have a lot of work to do in order to make it to a second season with the Patriots.
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Milton Williams Plans On Being A Catalyst For Patriots' Defense
Super Bowl LIX champion Milton Williams entered the New England Patriots' plans on a four-year, $104 ... More million contract in March. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Milton Williams didn't view the break as much of a break. After the Super Bowl LIX champion signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the New England Patriots in March, it was on to offseason workout program, organized team activities and mandatory minicamp through the middle of June. Late July has since set in at Gillette Stadium. So has training camp and the opportunity to build a catalyst up front alongside fellow defensive tackle Christian Barmore. 'Shoot, it's 100,' Williams told reporters of his excitement level following Wednesday's practice. 'Just getting this opportunity to come play for this organization, them believing in me and trusting me to come out here and lead these guys with Christian. It's on us to make this defense go. Like I told him when we've been talking to each other, it's going to go as we go. Every day we come out here, we've got to set the tone, and everybody else is going to follow.' Williams, 26, set the tone in NFL free agency with a deal carrying $26 million in average annual value and $63 million in total guarantees. The former Philadelphia Eagle led all interior defenders with a 91.7 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024. He did so while hitting home for seven sacks and 54 quarterback pressures between the regular season and playoffs. Summer didn't slow the momentum. 'Everybody been asking me did I go on vacation. I'm like, 'We didn't have no time for vacation,'' said Williams, a Texas native. 'We only had like four or five weeks. When I got home, I probably took three days to relax a little bit but got right back to it. Conditioning, D-line work with coach Pete [Jenkins] down in Frisco, did a little boxing and just trying to do anything I can to make sure I'm in shape and ready to go.' The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Williams picked up boxing last offseason. With the largest workload of his career on deck, he sees what is translatable during reps and in between them. 'It's good for hand-eye coordination, but most importantly, it's good for cardio,' Williams said. 'The hardest part, I feel like, is keeping your hands up, keeping your feet moving. And them three-minute rounds, they get long. It's good for when you come out here. In between plays, unless they're going tempo, you probably get like 30-40 seconds, so you're feeling good with the minute break that you get in boxing. It helps you recover faster and make your tank bigger.' Williams handled 47.8% of the defensive downs during his final year in the NFC East while sharing an interior depth chart with the likes of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Prior to then, the rotational role included 42.5% of the snaps in 2023, 35.7% of the snaps in 2022 and 40.5% of the snaps as a rookie. Since going No. 73 overall in the 2021 NFL draft, the Louisiana Tech product has appeared in 76 games and started 20, counting postseason. He stands 148 tackles, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two recoveries into his career. 'He's fun to coach, he's very mature, and so there's zero reservation about his leadership ability,' Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said during his Wednesday press conference. 'He's here a lot. He's here all the time. He shows up early, gets plenty of work in. He takes care of his body. He's a true pro.'
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
$104 million DT reveals reason for once disliking Patriots
New England Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams admitted he hasn't always been a fan of the team due to them winning too many football games. An 18-year window of the Patriots winning six Super Bowls and nine AFC Championships might have been a blast for fans of the team, but for others, like Williams, it was likely viewed as a reign of terror. The Patriots were one of the most dominant sports franchises of all time. That often left other fan bases out in the cold when it came to competing for championships. Williams claimed there was a time when he had Patriots fatigue. "Didn't always love them. You know when a team wins too much? It's like, man, let somebody else win," Williams said on the Who Cares?! podcast. Williams has obviously changed his mind since signing on with the team in free agency. He finally got a taste of what winning a Super Bowl feels like last year with the Philadelphia Eagles, and now, he's looking to bring that feeling back to New England. The Patriots' willingness to make him the highest-paid player in franchise history in the offseason is proof that they believe in his talent. He signed a four-year, $104 million contract to serve as one of the cornerstone pieces on New England's defense. It's a unit that could spearhead a dramatic turnaround for a Patriots team desperately looking to return to playoff contention. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
