
The New England Patriots made one of the biggest signings of NFL free agency last week, inking defensive tackle Milton Williams to a massive four-year, $104 million contract.
The deal may have been a bit of an overpay, but the Patriots were in serious need of help along their defensive front, and Williams was largely viewed as the best defensive lineman available.
Here’s the catch, though: Williams only played in 48 percent of the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive snaps in 2024, which marked a career high for him over four seasons.
So, is the 25-year-old really someone who can play almost every down? He believes so, and he thinks he’ll bring significant versatility to the table in New England.
“I want to be known as doing it all, versatile, Swiss Army knife — line up anywhere and be productive from any spot,” Williams said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.
Can he do it, though? It remains to be seen. After all, Williams posted a very modest 24 tackles and 5.5 sacks this past year. There is no doubt that his value was inflated by a strong Super Bowl performance in which he logged a couple of sacks against the Kansas City Chiefs, but whether or not he can produce on a consistent basis is the question.
The Pats totaled just 28 sacks as a team in 2024, which ranked last in the NFL. Clearly, they definitely needed assistance with their pass rush, and Williams should certainly help provide that for them.
But Williams won’t solve the problem on his own. The Patriots also added edge rusher Harold Landry on a three-year deal, but there is definitely a chance that New England may select another defensive lineman in the NFL Draft next month.