New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams will be supporting new threads this season. The Patriots official social media account noted that Williams will be wearing No. 8. This comes on the heels of Williams’ sophomore season in the NFL.
Williams appeared in all 17 games last season for the Patriots. He recorded 10 catches for 209 yards and three touchdowns on the year. The Washington State product was able to show off his playmaking ability as each touchdown catch was 30-plus yards. The highlight of his season was a 72-yard touchdown catch in week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Patriots won that game by a 28-23 margin.
Now, he is entering a new season with new goals, and he has a new number to boot.
Williams Off To Promising Start For Patriots
Williams did not have a major role in the offensive rotation for the Patriots last season. He played sparingly, but did the most with his snaps. He averaged 20.9 yards per reception. He also proved to be a valuable deep threat, as evidenced by his touchdowns.
Breaking down his overall contributions on the field makes his production numbers a bit better in comparison. He was on the field for 191 pass snaps and was targeted 21 times. He ran 178 routes. It’s worth noting that he was also sure-handed, dropping only one pass according to statistics from Pro Football Focus.
The receiver also took over kickoff return duties following the season-ending injury to Antonio Gibson in the middle of the year. Williams fared well in that role. He tallied 11 returns for 290 yards, averaging 26.4 yards per return. The receiver had returns of 36 yards against both the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12 and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15.
Williams Could Be Due For Larger Role With Patriots
Williams could find himself in a larger role this season with Stefon Diggs no longer in the picture. A. J. Brown rumors have undoubtedly been swelling over the past couple of days. However, nothing is definitive as of yet. Regardless of whether Brown comes to New England or not, Williams certainly has a specialty role as a speed receiver.
On top of this, Executive Vice President of player personnel Eliot Wolf challenged Williams at the combine. Wolf met with reporters at the event. He indicated that he wanted Williams to put on a bit more weight to add to his speed. It will be exciting to see how Williams shows up during training camp after an offseason of working out.
It may seem silly, but a new number can often mean a chance to turn the page on the previous year. Williams certainly set the foundation to be successful in his rookie season. Now, it’s just about maintaining it. On top of this, he will have to find a role in what is potentially going to be a crowded wide receiver room. Williams undoubtedly has the talent and athleticism to succeed. Now it’s just about building off the skills that he was able to hone in his rookie season. He certainly has a chance to be another weapon for quarterback Drake Maye.
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