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Milton Williams Passes Tom Brady for Highest Paid Player in Patriots History
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The New England Patriots made one of the biggest splashes on Day 1 of NFL free agency, swooping in ahead of the Carolina Panthers to agree to terms on a deal with star defensive tackle Milton Williams.
The details—as relayed by ESPN's Adam Schefter—are a four-year, $104 million contract that includes $63 million in guaranteed money and also makes Williams the highest-paid player in Patriots history in terms of average annual value.
That's right, more than Tom Brady.
At his peak in New England, Brady was making $25 million per season while Williams' new agreement has him at an AAV of $26 million.
Not a bad deal for the 25-year-old budding star.
Alongside former teammate Josh Sweat, who signed with the Cardinals on Monday, Williams wreaked havoc for the Eagles defensive line this season. He notched a career-high five sacks in 2024 while helping lead Philly to their second Super Bowl title since 2018.
He'll now look to help rebuild the struggling Patriots, who also signed defenders Harold Landry III, Robert Spillane, and Carlton Davis III since Sunday night.
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Mike Kadlick is an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.