Patriots Land Rough Take for Massive Free Agent Addition

The New England Patriots have received a rather rough take on their most significant free-agent addition.

Dec 24, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) celebrates during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots broke the bank for defensive tackle Milton Williams on the first day of free agency, agreeing to sign the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl hero to a four-year, $104 million contract.

Williams was widely viewed as one of the top players on the open market, so it's no surprise that he got paid handsomely, but that seemed like an awful lot of money for a player who has never made a Pro Bowl.

ESPN's Seth Walder agrees, giving the Patriots a "C" grade for the addition.

"There are some causes for concern, though, when handing out $26 million per year," Walder wrote. "The first is that he's coming off his best-ever season. I don't have a huge issue with this, as his pass rush win rate has improved every season and he's at the point of his career where a breakout could occur. But he also hasn't been a full-time player, playing only 47% of possible snaps this past season."

Williams totaled 24 tackles and five sacks in 2024, and while he had a very strong performance in the Eagles' win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, he was merely a good — not great — player during the regular season.

"Granted, New England had money to spend, and it has to spend it in hopes of upgrading its roster during Drake Maye's rookie contract window. But this deal is a little rich," Walder concluded.

The Pats entered free agency with more cap room than any other team in the NFL, but giving such a significant portion of that available money to Williams is definitely a bit worrisome.

Williams has been in the NFL for four seasons, and as Walder noted, he had been a part of a front seven that was loaded with talent.

Will he be able to shine as "the guy" in New England? Or did the Patriots make a grave mistake here?

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