The New England Patriots ended a narrative about top players not wanting to join them, when they agreed a deal worth $104 million with Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams in 2025 NFL free agency.
Williams’ mega-money contract was confirmed by Albert Breer of The MMQB on Monday, March 10. He reported it’s “a four-year, $104 million deal,” but also noted how “the guarantee number is still being finalized. New England beat out the Cardinals and Panthers in the bidding.”
Breer’s report was preceded by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo revealing Williams will earn $26 million per year. That’s a hefty payday, but Williams was arguably the top defensive tackle left on the market.
Landing players who merit top billing has been a problem for the Patriots in recent years, but getting this deal done changes the narrative. That’s according to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, who posted, “So much for the narrative that top players didn’t want to go to New England. Milton Williams had choices.”
Flipping the narrative is a crucial step for the regime fronted by new head coach Mike Vrabel. He needs to make the Patriots an attractive destination again. Somewhere players believe they can go and win.
The chances of winning have been increased after a day of adding rugged veterans on both sides of the ball. It’s a tough group fronted by Williams, who helped the Eagles win last season’s Super Bowl and can now set about transforming the Patriots passive defensive front into something more attacking.
Patriots End Narrative With Free Agency Haul
Williams swapped life with the best team in the NFL for a long haul stint with a franchise in full rebuild mode. The money helps, but Williams is a contender who obviously sees something in what Vrabel is trying to build, and he’s not the only premier free agent who thinks as much.
Cornerback Carlton Davis left NFC contender the Detroit Lions for a three-year deal worth $60 million, per Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero. Davis joined linebacker Robert Spillane and right tackle Morgan Moses as free agents who agreed terms on Monday, according to Patriots.com staff writer Evan Lazar.
Edge-rusher Harold Landry III is also part of what’s been an aggressive haul. Landry came to terms a day earlier, when the Pats also re-signed an invaluable target for quarterback Drake Maye.
This many rapid and positives moves prove the Patriots still have some pull in the veteran market. There were doubts after wide receiver Chris Godwin chose to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite a “strong run” and “bigger offer” from the Patriots, according to MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels and Schefter.
Changing their perception as a no-go destination for free agents looking to get paid and compete was near the top of Vrabel’s to-do list, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal.
He acknowledged the “Patriots understand the realities of their situation. It’s been bleak the last couple years, and the Vrabel/Maye pairing is a positive step, but they still have to change perception about them league-wide.”
Altering a team-wide perception is important, but adding Williams is just as much about changing style and mentality on defense.
Milton Williams a Game-Changer for Patriots Defense
The changes on defense are all about getting more active up front. Vrabel’s predecessors Jerod Mayo and Bill Belichick preferred heavier D-lines populated by big bodies who absorbed double teams more than they played on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
Things will be different with Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams at the controls. They want four-man fronts with wide-angled edge-rushers supported by quick and disruptive inside pressure specialists.
Williams fits the latter description after tallying a 91.7 pass rush grade last season. It was good for “1st among all DI,” according to PFF NE Patriots.
His grade can be broken down into a “12.5 QB pressure percentage (highest among DT) and 35 QB pressures in 2024,” per Next Gen Stats and NFL+.”
The numbers show the Patriots got a player on the rise. A market leader who chose New England over other destinations.
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