The New England Patriots made one of the NFL’s loudest bets when they handed a record-setting contract to a defensive tackle who had spent most of his career working in a rotation.
One year later, the skepticism surrounding Milton Williams has turned into a public reversal.
Chad Graff of The Athletic acknowledged that he questioned the Patriots’ decision to give Williams so much money after the former Philadelphia defender had never played more than 50% of his team’s snaps in a season.
“I was dead wrong,” Graff wrote in his Aug. 5 review of every Patriots defensive player. “Williams has been everything you’d want and looks primed for another strong year.”
The admission gives New England’s most expensive defensive investment a fitting entrance into his second season.
Williams arrived with questions about his workload, his supporting cast and whether his Super Bowl surge could work into a successful bigger role.
He answered enough doubts during the Patriots’ run to Super Bowl LX that the discussion around his contract has changed.
Williams Answered Patriots’ $104 Million Question
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: Milton Williams #97 of the New England Patriots tackles Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The Patriots signed Williams to a four-year, $104 million contract in March 2025.
The deal included $51 million fully guaranteed at signing and a $24 million signing bonus, via NFL.com.
At the time, the contract made Williams the third-highest-paid interior defender in the league by annual value.
The money reflected what New England believed he could become after four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played alongside a deep collection of defensive linemen.
Williams had started seven games in 2024 and played 48% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps. He still recorded a career-high five sacks and produced a 12.5% quarterback pressure rate, which ranked first among defensive tackles.
The workload query followed him to Foxborough.
Williams welcomed it.
“I thrive on people telling me I can’t do something, so bring it on,” Williams said after signing.
New England started Williams in all 12 regular-season games he played.
He finished with 29 tackles, 3.5 sacks and one pass defensed. His early impact included two sacks against the Miami Dolphins, with the second coming on fourth down to secure a 33-27 victory.
An ankle injury interrupted his season in November and cost him five games.
Williams returned for the regular-season finale, then delivered three sacks during the playoffs.
Two came against the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round. His third came against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, leaving him tied for fourth in career Super Bowl sacks.
Williams Holds Big Role in Patriots’ Defensive Aspirations
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 21: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers is sacked by Milton Williams #97 of the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Williams’ regular-season sack total offered only part of the picture.
Patriots.com wrote that Williams and Christian Barmore combined for 87 quarterback pressures in 2025 despite Williams’ five-game absence.
Their work helped the defense finish fourth in points allowed, sixth in rushing yards allowed per game and eighth in total yards allowed per game.
That production likely needs to continue in 2026 to get back to the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile in Tuesday’s training camp practice, the defense was stout, shutting down the running game and limiting explosive plays through the air, according to The Athletic.
Graff’s assessment placed Williams among the safest pieces on a unit carrying several health and depth questions elsewhere.
Williams also enters camp healthy after the ankle injury altered the second half of his first Patriots season.
His presence gives New England a disruptive interior option who can collapse the pocket without forcing the coaching staff to manufacture pressure on every passing down.
And as the Patriots paid Williams for the player they believed would emerge with greater opportunity, his first season yielded a championship appearance and strong defensive turnaround.
So naturally, he enters his second season carrying expectations.
Graff’s admission shows how quickly the uncertainty have disappeared.
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