NFL free agency: Conflicting reports on who Milton Williams will sign with

Milton Williams is expected to sign with Carolina, but the saga isn't over yet.

Oct 15, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) reacts after a defensive stop during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Adam Schefter initially reported that the Carolina Panthers were going to sign Milton Williams, one of the top defensive tackles in free agency. The report came from Schefter, but now Dianna Russini has reported that other teams are still pursuing the former Philadelphia Eagles standout.

Schefter, and Joe Person of the Athletic, who covers the Panthers, reported that Williams would be signing with the Panthers, but Russini, another The Athletic reporter, clarified that the deal was not yet done, or as done as it can be during the legal tampering period.

This is close. This is not done. https://t.co/sO8WT2WBnk

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 10, 2025

The Panthers, and all other teams, cannot officially sign players yet. It's just the period of time in which it's legal to agree to a deal. The signing comes much later, and this day of frenzied signings is just a unique wrinkle in the NFL's free agency process.

That said, the deal isn't official, and Russini claims that it's not even quite fully agreed to, either. She added later that other teams are still showing strong interest. Williams was The Athletic's number one free agent available, and the Panthers seemingly swooped in to sign him, but everyone can officially pump the brakes on that idea for the moment.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) celebrates after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There is a lot of confusion today especially since deals seem to be completed at a rapid pace. While so many have agreed to contracts, nothing has been inked and there's no legally binding attribute to today. More often than not, players who agree during this tampering period do sign, but Williams, according to Russini, may not have even signed yet.

This is a developing story that appears to not be over yet, and more updates are sure to come from a variety of reporters as the NFL world tries to get to the bottom of this.

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