It was a whirlwind afternoon for former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams, who was initially expected to sign with the Carolina Panthers.
Now, it appears he’s heading to the AFC East to join the New England Patriots.
“BREAKING: The #Patriots are signing former #Eagles DT Milton Williams — as they came in hard at the end and got an agreement in place, sources tell @NFLonFOX,” Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported.
Following that report, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport stated that the deal is worth more than $26 million per season.
Where Does Milton Williams Stack Up?
Williams had two sacks in Super Bowl 59 and ranked No. 51 in PFSN’s official 2025 top 121 free agent rankings.
“Milton Williams recorded five sacks in 2024 after totaling 6.5 sacks over his first three seasons combined. Williams never averaged 30 or more snaps per game in four seasons with the Eagles, as he was stuck behind a pair of first-round defensive tackles in Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
However, Williams proved extremely effective in a rotational pass-rushing role in 2024. He generated a 14.2% pressure rate over 282 pass-rushing snaps, ranking fourth among 101 defensive tackles with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps this past season.
Williams turns 26 in April and has been very durable, missing just one game in four seasons. Although there is some risk if a team projects him to a larger every-down role, Williams’ strong pass-rushing performance in 2024 has earned him a multi-year deal with a team that can offer him more snaps.”
As for his “Risk Level,” he was labeled as “Medium.”
Recapping the Williams Saga
Earlier Monday, March 10, reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and others indicated Williams was set to sign with the Carolina Panthers.
However, reports began circulating — such as one from Cayden Steele of NJ.com — suggesting the deal wasn’t finalized and that Williams was also in talks with the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals.
Eagles free agent defensive tackle Milton Williams is in talks with the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The deal with the Carolina Panthers is not done.
— cayden steele (@cayden_steele19)
While the Panthers were still believed to be strong contenders for Williams, the Patriots ultimately secured his services. New England, now under new head coach Mike Vrabel, swooped in late to finalize the deal.
In Super Bowl 59, Williams had two sacks against the Kansas City Chiefs.
