Patriots

Raekwon McMillan happy to have his 'peace' dorsum equally he plays into Patriots' linebacker battle

McMillan tore his ACL during grooming camp last season.

Raekwon McMillan was all smiles when speaking to the press on Friday.

FOXBOROUGH — Around this fourth dimension final year, linebacker Raekwon McMillan looked similar a potential breakout star in training camp. He received high praise from Neb Belichick, who signed him earlier in the 2021 offseason later he played the previous iii seasons with the Dolphins and Raiders.

Right as McMillan was building momentum though, he tore his ACL in practice, ending his first season in New England earlier the regular season began. It also marked the 2nd fourth dimension McMillan tore his ACL in his short career, tearing it in his rookie flavour in 2017.

McMillan, 26, was activated the day earlier training camp opened after getting placed on the physically unable to perform list a calendar week earlier. After a twelvemonth away, McMillan was all smiles after Friday's exercise, the Patriots' third, as he remarked on how happy he was to be on the field again.

"It's a blessing to exist back on my feet, on the grass, in all honesty, all jokes bated," McMillan said. "It'due south a blessing to be back with [Ja'Whaun Bentley], [Matthew] Judon. Some of the other guys on defense force, [Davon] Godchaux, [Christian] Barmore, I could name everybody on defence force. It's merely a blessing to see their smiles, out in that location making plays with them and playing football once more.

"This is where I find my peace. I'one thousand glad to take my peace back."

McMillan came to the Patriots in a spot of his career where he was trying to testify his value around the league. The 2017 2d-round choice recorded 105 combined tackles every bit a rookie with the Dolphins. McMillan missed a few games in 2019, dropping his tackle total to 72.

Right as the preseason ended in 2020, Miami shipped McMillan to Las Vegas. McMillan didn't make much of an impact with the Raiders in his contract yr, playing just sixteen percent of the team's defensive snaps to tape 27 combined tackles.

The ACL injury obviously threw a wrench into whatever time to come plans McMillan had in 2021. He said he "learned a lot about myself over the last year" though, and is using an NBA player friend of his as motivation.

"I got this new mantra [from] my male child Davion Mitchell, who plays for the Sacramento Kings and is from Hinesville, Georgia," McMillan said. "He always said 'Trust your piece of work.' So this whole summer I'm thinking about trusting the whole process of rehabbing and getting back to where I want to be. Like I said, my cleats are dorsum in the grass and I'thousand merely trusting everything that I did this summer leading into now, and so I tin progress and go along going."

Entering 2022, McMillan enters a weird spot every bit he has a year under his belt with an organization he's yet to play a game for. He said he'due south "a lilliputian bit more familiar" now with the Patriots than he was a yr ago, but at that place's still more than for him to gain knowledge about.

"I'yard still trying to learn my way around here. It's a lot that I need to learn," McMillan said. "But at that place's also a lot I can teach immature guys about — arduousness, coming through it, being through a lot of my career. Moving forward, I just wanna help all of my teammates as much as I can — (possibly) with the younger guys and too getting some knowledge from some of the older guys that have been here who can assistance me out along the way."

Despite losing his "peace" in 2021, a positive affair McMillan got was that he was able to work in some chapters with an idol of his.

"Back in high school, before my loftier school games, I used to type in 'Dont'a Hightower highlights' and sit and scout his highlights before my high school games," McMillan said. "Now, nosotros were sitting side-by-side in the locker room. He was kind of one of my inspirations growing upwards."

"I always looked up to his game and thought he was one of the best in the league," McMillan added on Hightower. "He's a potential Hall-of-Famer. I for certain was watching him growing up."

McMillan's in the possible spot where he'southward the 1 to replace the Patriots legend. Hightower remains a free agent months after his contract expired, and with New England only adding one linebacker over the offseason, McMillan has a take chances to non merely earn a roster spot, only exist a starter, too.

McMillan's already got reps with the starting time- and second-squad unis during 7-on-7s and 11-on-xi drills during the first few (padless) practices of camp. Only like he did last twelvemonth, Belichick is high on McMillan's future outlook.

"Raekwon works actually difficult, really smart player, has feel, understands a lot at the linebacker position, evidently at that place'southward a lot going on there, but he handles things well," Belichick said Wednesday. "Indicate caller, multiple-position actor. It's proficient to come across him back out there. He looks like he's recovered very well and based on what nosotros saw in the leap and express looks here this first week, I'd say he's doing very well.

Whether it's equally a starting linebacker or just a special teamer, McMillan's going to be happy the first fourth dimension he puts a Patriots helmet and uniform on for a gameday.

"It's going to be amazing. It's going to exist amazing," McMillan said. "But being out there with the guys is putting a smile on my confront once again. It'south been a long process. But like I said, we're on to new things and better things."