Although the Patriots have been without rookie left tackle Will Campbell for a bit, they have been a dormant operation when it comes to using injury activations. Through 16 weeks, New England has only activated one player from IR.
Beyond activating linebacker Jahlani Tavai in Week 5, the Pats have not turned to this transaction during their bounce-back season. They will almost definitely be doing so at least two more times this year. Campbell (MCL sprain) is not out for the season and will be eligible for activation next week. Milton Williams is already eligible to come back, and the high-priced defensive tackle will indeed see his IR-return clock start.
Mike Vrabel confirmed (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) Williams will resume practicing this week. The fifth-year defensive lineman has been on IR since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 11. This has hindered the Patriots’ defense, particularly in a loss to the Bills that featured the visitors score 35 points and gain 246 rushing yards.
No free agent received more fully guaranteed money this offseason than Williams, who generated a bidding war that involved the Panthers and presumably others in March. Williams collected a whopping $51MM at signing on a four-year, $104MM deal, leapfrogging several more accomplished interior defensive linemen on the salary spectrum; he entered the season as the NFL’s second-highest-paid D-tackle.
Williams has been effective for the Pats, though he has a ways to go to justify the big-ticket contract he received. The former third-round pick has 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. Williams closed last season with five sacks and seven TFLs, though he was certainly on track to surpass those benchmarks had this ankle injury not intervened. Pro Football Focus ranks Williams 47th among interior D-linemen this season, but he represents a valuable piece in a new-look AFC puzzle featuring the Pats as key players.
The Chiefs are out of the picture, and the Patriots moved the Ravens toward the elimination cliff Sunday night. New England and Denver are neck and neck, odds-wise, to claim the No. 1 seed. The Pats have the easier schedule to close the season, with games against the Jets and Dolphins remaining, while the Broncos follow their Arrowhead Stadium tilt with a home matchup against the Chargers. Regardless of the Pats’ seed, it appears they will have Williams back alongside Christian Barmore soon. That will help fortify a defense that still ranks seventh in points allowed ahead of Week 17.