The New England Patriots were active during the NFL’s first week of free agency. But there was one move that one former general manager believes was the best.
“The Patriots signing defensive tackle Milton Williams. While $26 million per year for Williams is extremely high, it’s rare to get someone so young (26 next month) with outstanding interior pass rush ability,” Mike Tannenbaum wrote. “His production has been modest (11.5 sacks in 67 games), but look for his game to reach the next level in Mike Vrabel’s system with the Patriots. He will become a frontline staple for years to come.”
New England signed Williams — the biggest name on the market at the time — to a four-year, $104 million deal on the first day of legal tampering. At first, it was reported that Williams was in agreement on a multi-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, but that changed about 45 minutes later.
“It was a fast process. My agent was telling me teams were interested. Once a number got to a certain point, a lot of teams dropped out,” Williams said. “The Patriots were the ones that wanted me the most. I made it a priority to come here. They made me a priority. They value what I bring to the table as far as being a versatile player on the d-line, a leader, and a hard worker. They believed in me, so I’m going to try to give it back to them as much as I can.”
Williams, who’s the highest-paid player in team history, will bolster the Patriots defense and could form quite the duo with fellow defensive tackle Christian Barmore in 2025.
Williams has never played more than 48% of defensive snaps during his four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that will likely change in New England as his playing time will probably increase.
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