Panthers dodge huge bullet by avoiding massive free agent overpay

The Carolina Panthers probably dodged a huge bullet by not overpaying for this NFL free agent.

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

The Carolina Panthers thought they had Milton Williams, until they didn't. Williams spurned the Panthers for the New England Patriots, signing a gargantuan four-year, $104 million contract.

To put things into perspective, Williams is now the highest-paid player in Patriots history. Yes, even more than Tom Brady.

I fully understand that the salary cap has increased considerably over the years, but this was probably a significant overpay for a guy who has never even made a Pro Bowl, and the Panthers were lucky to avoid it.

Carolina pivoted by signing Bobby Brown to a three-year, $21 million pact. That is a much more palatable deal for a very underrated player. Definitely a good bang-for-your-buck move by the Panthers.

Williams is a good player, but he is not exactly a star. Perhaps he is being overrated by his strong Super Bowl performance. Or maybe his contract was merely a product of what was a rather weak NFL free-agent class overall.

Whatever the case may be, Carolina should consider itself very lucky that it did not pay $26 million annually for a player who registered a 43.1 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024.

The Panthers entered free agency without much cap space to begin with. Signing Williams would have sapped Carolina of whatever it had left.

Is it disappointing that the Panthers lost out on one of the supposed top free agents on the market? Sure, but in the end, this may end up benefiting Carolina, which really can't afford to make any crippling mistakes.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) celebrates a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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