FOXBOROUGH – The competition started off small.
Milton Williams challenged Christian Barmore to see who could get to Gillette Stadium first. It’s only progressed from there. If it all goes according to plan, these two defensive tackles will lead an improved Patriots defense.
This offseason, the two highly paid defensive tackles have bonded over small competitions. Williams and Barmore are pushing each other with the hope that it’ll bring out the best on the field.
“It’s been good. It’s been good. Me and him have been out there competing every day coming in,” Williams said. “We’ve been joking with each other, trying to see who’s going to beat each other in when we come in, in the morning.”
In free agency, the Patriots signed Williams to the biggest contract in team history with a four-year, $104 million deal. Last year, the Patriots signed Barmore to a massive, four-year, $84 million contract extension.
The high paychecks lead to higher expectations.
Coming in from Philadelphia, Williams has pushed Barmore, who noted the pair also compete when it comes to team meetings and weightlifting sessions.
“That’s my guy, my boy. We like to see who’s the first one in the weight room, who is the first one in the meeting room. We’re always going at it,” Barmore said. “He just makes me work hard, man. He’s a hell of a worker, a hell of a guy, a hell of a player. So, it’s just, I’m really excited definitely to see him and it’s really exciting to be right with him.”
Last year, Williams was a disruptive force in the middle of the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line. He finished with five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss. The Patriots see him as an every-down defensive lineman who will make the defense better against the run and pass.
In 2023, Barmore showed that he had game-wrecking ability. That season, he finished with 85. sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 13 tackles for loss. He’s coming off a difficult year after suffering a blood clot diagnosis.
If both stay healthy, the Patriots could have one of the most dangerous defensive tackle combinations in the NFL. Williams said that him and Barmore talk about leading the unit and hope to act in a way that makes teammates follow.
That’s why they compete with each other every day.
“It’s been good. Me and him have been having conversations about the defense going to start with what we do up front,” Williams said. “So every day we have to come in and set the tone and everybody else is going to follow. Me and him set the table for the defense we’re going to be this year.”