The New England Patriots did well to pick up their eighth-straight victory in Week 11 over the New York Jets, but they did not manage to escape the game unscathed. In particular, the team has suffered a big blow on defense when it comes to the latest injury update for star defensive tackle Milton Williams.
Signed to a massive four-year, $104 million contract in free agency over the offseason, Williams has formed a dynamic partnership alongside Christian Barmore at the center of the Pats’ defensive line. In 11 games, Williams has 27 tackles, 3.5 sacks and one pass deflection for his new team.
Williams was forced out of New England’s win over New York early with an ankle injury, and initial reports indicated that he could be forced to miss a couple of weeks. That is exactly what will be happening, as Williams was placed on injured reserve on Saturday, ruling him out for at least the team’s next four games.
“Patriots place DT Milton Williams on injured reserve; Sign LB Bradyn Swinson to the 53-man roster from the practice squad,” the team announced in a post on X.
With Williams out, that is going to place a bigger burden on Barmore’s shoulders. Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer will both play a role in filling in for Williams, although it is worth noting that Farmer missed the team’s win over the Jets entirely with an ankle injury.
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Now that a postseason run appears to be a possibility, letting Williams get healthy so that he can return for the team’s more important games later in the year makes sense. New England also has a bye week in Week 14, so that will give him even more time to recover from this ailment. The Pats will return to action in Week 12 for a clash with the Cincinnati Bengals.
