After another disappointing season, the New England Patriots finished with a 4-13 record. Changes needed to be made, so Robert Kraft said goodbye to Jerod Mayo and most of the coaching staff from the Bill Belichick era and hired Mike Vrabel, who brought in his crew.
Vrabel, alongside Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, went into free agency with the most cap space and a lot of work to do. Both the offense and defense were among the league’s worst, and since they’ve been so bad, they had to hand out blank checks to free agents to come sign to New England.
To try and sway top talent to come to the Patriots, they had to overpay for some players. The Patriots did just that, spending top dollar for some of the biggest names in this year’s free agent class.
Of all their free agent signings, Milton Williams is the one that the Patriots overpaid for and could potentially regret.
The Patriots Overpaid Milton Williams
Milton Williams was about to sign with the Carolina Panthers before the Patriots swooped in, signing Williams to a four-year, $104 million deal, becoming the highest-annually paid player in Patriots history. This deal places Williams as the third-highest paid defensive tackle in the league behind Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins.
Williams, who turned 26 in April, spent his first four years with the Philadelphia Eagles as a rotational player to their stacked defensive line that included Jalen Carter, Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith, and Jordan Davis. Williams skyrocketed his value with his incredible performance in the playoffs, especially in the Super Bowl, where he posted two sacks and a forced fumble.
The 2024 season was also his best season, posting a career-high five sacks and 10 quarterback hits to go along with 24 tackles, seven of them for a loss. While signing Williams upgraded the Patriots' defensive line, it was done at a ridiculous price.
All-Pro Money for a Rotation Player
The Patriots gave Williams All-Pro money, yet Williams hasn’t been an All-Pro or even a Pro-Bowler. Williams wasn’t even a full-time starter in his tenure with the Eagles, starting in 19 out of 67 games he played.
Last season, Williams played a career-high 501 snaps. Those 501 snaps only account for 48% of the defensive snaps that the Eagles were on the field for. Williams was a part of one of the best defensive lines in the league, yet he wasn’t even the best player in his position.
Giving Williams big money when he wasn’t even a starter was a risky move, as his play has not been All-Pro worthy. Williams' contract sets him up to make more than pro-bowlers Dexter Lawrence, Quinnen Williams, and Derrick Brown. These three are among the best at their position, while Williams isn’t in the same class as them.
There Is Hope for Williams
What the Patriots see in Williams is a young player entering his prime, who has showcased an elite ability to generate sacks up in the middle. Per Pro Football Focus, Williams received the second-highest grade among 219 interior defenders in pass rush (90.4). He ranked 19th in pressure (40) and had an overall grade of 70.1, which ranked him 31st.
His potential was showcased throughout the playoffs, and he played his best when the lights shone the brightest. With a bigger role coming, Williams' performance could outshine his contract and make the Patriots look like geniuses.
But for now, the Patriots took a huge swing that could set them up for success to haunt them down the road. Let’s hope that high-risk ends in a high reward.