Surprise Super Bowl standout linked to Carolina Panthers as top free agent target

Putting heat on opposing quarterbacks from the inside of your defensive front is big. The Panthers may add a defensive tackle who enjoyed a super, Super Sunday

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

It was a painful day at the Superdome for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs when facing the talented Philadelphia Eagles on Super Sunday. Eagles 40, Chiefs 22. And it really wasn't that close.

Andy Reid’s defending champions were in position to do what hadn’t been done in the Super Bowl Era, and that is three-peat. Instead, Mahomes was the victim of a six-peat, as in being sacked a half-dozen times by Vic Fangio’s top-ranked defense. Two of those quarterback traps came courtesy of a four-year pro who could be getting ready to hit the free-agent market in less than a month.

Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut selected one player that each of the 32 teams should target in free agency. As for the Carolina Panthers, he zeroed in one of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX heroes.

“Tee Higgins will naturally be named as one of the top Carolina Panthers free agent targets given their need for a No. 1 wide receiver. Far more important, though, should be upgrading one of the worst NFL defenses in the last five years. There are needs at every level of the Panthers defense, but winning on that side of the ball all starts up front.

“Milton Williams, who is only entering his age-26 season, is coming off a breakout campaign with the sixth-highest ESPN pass rush win rate (13 percent) among defensive tackles and he shined in the NFL playoffs. While he might not be successful on his own, pairing him with Derrick Brown could give the Panthers defensive line a lesser version of what the Philadelphia Eagles had with Williams and Jalen Carter.”

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs away from Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) in the third quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In his fourth NFL season, the 2021 third-round pick from Louisiana Tech totaled a career-best five sacks. In the Super Bowl, he finished fourth on the team with four tackles and the aforementioned two sacks. The second came in the fourth quarter, when he forced Mahomes to fumble and he came up with the recovery.

Finally, this note. Williams is Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked pass-rusher in terms of NFL interior defenders with a 91.7 grade, just ahead of Chris Jones (91.5), Cameron Heyward (85.9), and current teammate Jalen Carter (84.4).

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