Mar 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams discusses his recent free agent addition to the Patriots with the media at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Panthers refute reports, claim they never got close to signing game-breaking free agent

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 1:37 PM ET

The Carolina Panthers appeared momentarily to have landed Milton Williams on day one of the NFL's legal tampering period. Reports broke that he was "close to finalizing a deal" in Carolina. Adam Schefter later deleted his post, but he was one of a few saying this.

Eventually, conflicting reports arose, and Diana Russini clarified that he wasn't off the market yet. Not too long after that, the saga came to an end in disappointment, as the top interior defensive lineman did agree to a deal with the New England Patriots.

The Panthers, now a few weeks later, are claiming that they never actually got that close to a deal with him. The report that they were finalizing a deal appears to have not only been wrong because of what happened, but it misrepresented the situation.

"We never felt like we had an agreement with Milton," #Panthers EVP of FO Brandt Tilis on the Williams fallout.

The agent never gave them an indication he was set to agree or finalize, per Tilis.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) March 26, 2025

They did have an offer out, but Brandt Tilis, the Panthers' executive VP of football operations, said, "We never felt like we had an agreement with Milton." He added that Williams' agent never gave them any indication that a deal was imminent, so the report that he was close ended up being totally wrong.

Williams also opened up on the controversy, saying the Patriots came in with a better offer that the Panthers didn't match, which is why he ended up in New England after it was all said and done. It might have disappointed Panthers fans to have come so close to a game-changing talent on the interior only to miss out, but they can take solace in the fact that they apparently weren't close at all.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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