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Patriots’ $104M DL Milton Williams Could Be Even Better After Breakout Season With Eagles

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nelson Hubbell | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 1:10 PM ET

The New England Patriots opened the checkbooks for several free agents this offseason, including a big payday for a backup defensive lineman on last season's Super Bowl champions.

That player is Milton Williams, who played behind Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is now heading into the 2025 season with a new team and a new contract, worth $104 million over four years, assuming a starting role for the Patriots.

That is why NFL.com Analyst Marc Ross expects him to take an even bigger step forward after what Ross described as a "breakout" season in 2024.

"Williams was my colleague Gregg Rosenthal's top free agent this offseason, which speaks to Williams' impact given he played fewer than 50 percent of Philadelphia's defensive snaps in each of his four seasons with the team," Ross said.

Ross noted the 26-year-old Williams' five sacks last year, with 35 quarterback pressures and a league-leading 12.9 percent pressure rate among defensive tackles, according to Next Gen Stats.

Two of Williams' three sacks came in the biggest game of his life, Super Bowl LIX.

However, there is one caveat that Ross wanted to add.

"It can be risky paying part-time players big-time money... He will be tasked with turning around a defense that ranked 22nd in yards and points allowed in 2024," Ross said.

It helps that New England's defense is not going to look the same as last year. The rising star defensive lineman joins a revamped defensive line, headlined by a healthy Christian Barmore and Harold Landry III.

Pairing Carlton Davis III with Christian Gonzalez at cornerback should also be mutually beneficial for the front seven and a secondary that already has Kyle Duggar and Jabrill Peppers.

On paper, the Patriots' defense could end up being one of the NFL's best.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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