Milton Williams active for Patriots vs. Bills; Jahlani Tavai set to make season debut in Week 5
The New England Patriots will have defensive tackle Milton Williams for Sunday night's prime time showdown with the Buffalo Bills. Williams is active and good to go after he was listed as questionable for the Week 5 clash with an ankle injury on Friday's injury report.
Williams has been one of New England's best players this season, and will be a big part of Mike Vrabel's game plan for slowing down Josh Allen and the 4-0 Bills at Highmark Stadium. Williams has been disruptive along the New England defensive line to start his Patriots career, logging two sacks and nine total tackles over the first four games of the season.
While the Patriots will have Williams, they will not have outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson, who was ruled out Saturday with a knee injury. Chaisson logged 2.5 sacks and five QB hits over the first four games of the season.
With Chaisson out, edge rusher Keion White could be in line for more action for New England. White has played 45 percent of the team's defensive snaps, but has no sacks and just four combined tackles.
Undrafted receiver Efton Chism is also inactive for the Patriots, as he's a healthy scratch for the fifth straight weekend to start the season. Defensive tackle Eric Gregory and offensive lineman Caedan Wallace are also inactive for the Patriots, while Tommy DeVito will serve as New England's emergency third-string quarterback.
Jahlani Tavai to make 2025 season debut for Patriots
The Patriots will get linebacker Jahlani Tavai back on Sunday night, after he started the season on IR due to a calf injury he suffered during OTAs in June. The 29-year-old was one of the few linebackers retained from last season's team, after he led New England with 115 tackles.
On Friday, Vrabel praised Tavai for the versatility he can bring to the New England defense.
"I think he plays with good technique. I think he can play multiple spots. I think he's an instinctive player," Vrabel said of Tavai. "I think he sees the field. I think he understands different concepts. He's a veteran player that's played in multiple spots, so there's a versatility there. I like his fundamentals. He's done a lot of different things in other places that he's been and here."
Matt Milano returning for Bills
Buffalo is getting linebacker Matt Milano back, after he missed the last two games with a pectoral injury. Milano has a sack and nine combined tackles for the Bills so far this season. Sunday night will be his first game against the Patriots since Week 18 of the 2022 season.
However, Buffalo will not have defensive lineman Ed Oliver, who is set to miss his fourth straight game with an ankle injury. In addition to Oliver, cornerback Brandon Codrington, safety Jordan Hancock, offensive tackle Chase Lundt, wide receiver Elijah Moore, defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, and linebacker Dorian Williams are inactive for the Bills.
