Milton Williams to take first step in return from IR

This is the first week New England Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams is eligible to return from IR. With that the team is going to start the process of getting him activated, head coach Mike Vrabel shared on Tuesday.

"He'll practice," Vrabel said when asked Williams' status for this week. "We'll start his window. See how he responds from the week of practice, and we'll go from there." The Patriots will hold their first practice of the week on Wednesday.

Williams, 26, has missed the last four games after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Patriots' Week 11 matchup with the New York Jets. Prior to that he was one of the Patriots' best defensive players, and his absence has been apparent - especially against the run - in the games he hasn't played.

Once a player returns to practice after being on IR, their team has 21 days to officially 'activate' them and add them to the active roster. That move can occur at any time during the 21-day period (if they're not activated in time, they revert to IR for the rest of the year). If Williams checks the boxes the Patriots need him to check this week, that means he could return as early as this Sunday's game at the New York Jets.

"I'm ready to be back," Williams told reporters in the locker room on Tuesday. "I’m feeling good. Just have to see how it responds." He added "we'll see" when asked about his availability for Sundays game.

Williams' potential return comes as the Patriots are now dealing with more injuries up front defensively. Linebacker Robert Spillane has been out with an ankle injury, but was seen in the locker room on Tuesday without a walking boot. Meanwhile defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga left Sunday's game early with a foot injury and is expected to miss one or two weeks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Updates on both players and the Patriots' other injuries should come after Wednesday's practice, when the team will release its first injury report of the week.