Patriots sign best defensive player available in free agency

The New England Patriots went on a spending spree when the legal tampering window of NFL free agency opened on Monday, and the best defensive player on the market was included in their haul.

Defensive tackle Milton Williams has agreed to sign with the Patriots, according to multiple reports. The deal is worth $26 million per year, which would make Williams one of the highest-paid interior defensive linemen in football.

Williams is coming off a breakout season with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2021 third-round pick out of Louisiana Tech had a career-high 5 sacks in the regular season and elevated his game even further in the playoffs.

Williams had 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. The performance was perfectly timed for Williams and contributed to him getting a massive free-agent contract.

The Patriots had just 28 sacks as a team in 2024. Their pass rush was in need of improvement, and the 25-year-old Williams projects to be a great fit in new head coach Mike Vrabel’s system.

In addition to Williams, the Patriots agreed to deals on Monday with star cornerback Carlton Davis and veteran linebacker Robert Spillane. New England entered the offseason with well over $100 million in salary cap space, and they are utilizing much of it to bolster their defense.