Image courtesy of Brian Hines

Milton Williams met with the media on Tuesday and addressed several topics. Williams talked about adjusting to the Patriots scheme, being challenged by Mike Vrabel to be a leader and adjusting to Terrell Williams not being in the building.

Here are some of the key talking points from today’s press conference. 

Williams adjustment to the Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel’s coaching style: Williams shared an anecdote about Vrabel calling him out during a conditioning drill for not finishing strong, even though he was within the required time. Williams stated that he appreciated being challenged and that it motivates him to set the standard and give his all on every rep. He sees it as something that will help him and push his teammates as well.

Taking on a leadership role: As a significant free-agent acquisition (signing a four-year, $104 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history), Williams understands the expectation for him to be a leader on the defense. He mentioned that Vrabel has emphasized this to him, telling him to “Come in. Set an example. Just go to work.”

His fit in the new defensive scheme: Under Coach Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, the Patriots are expected to run a more aggressive, four-down defensive scheme. Williams is seen as a key player to bolster the defensive line and generate pressure, an area where the Patriots struggled previously. He expressed excitement about the scheme and working with his new teammates, including Christian Barmore. Williams will be used in a variety of alignments along the Patriots front as they try to maximize his explosiveness.

His relationship with Defensive Coordinator Terrell Williams: Despite Terrell Williams not currently being at Gillette Stadium due to a health scare, Milton Williams mentioned they have been communicating via Zoom and haven’t “missed a beat yet installing our scheme.”