Patriots' top free-agent addition is already keeping receipts

The New England Patriots added one of the best available players in free agency when they agreed to a deal with Milton Williams, and the star defensive lineman is already taking note of his doubters.

The Patriots agreed to a four-year, $104M deal with Williams on Monday as part of a defensive spending spree. Williams, who is coming off a breakout season with the Philadelphia Eagles, was one of the top prizes on the free-agent market.

At least one writer did not think so, however. Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated gave the Patriots an "F" grade for their Williams signing. He believes New England paid way too much for the 25-year-old.

"While Williams is a good player, he also benefited from playing in an elite situation next to Jalen Carter, Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith," Verderame wrote. "Now, he’s the star of the show up front for New England. 

"In 2024, Williams totaled five sacks after having just 6.5 sacks total in his previous three seasons. While Williams has long been a solid player, the Patriots are paying him more annual money than anybody in NFL history at the position, save Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins."

Williams caught wind of the criticism and did not ignore it. He shared a screenshot on his Instagram story with a laughing face and a "take notes" emoji: