When you've got $121 million to burn, there's no harm in getting one of the biggest pieces on the open market.
That's exactly what the New England Patriots are doing, as they're set to sign defensive tackle Milton Williams to a blockbuster four-year, $104-million deal, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Monday.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the deal comes with $63 million guaranteed. He will earn an average of $26 million per season.
Williams now becomes the third-highest paid interior defensive lineman in the NFL, behind only the Chiefs' Chris Jones ($31.75 million AAV) and the Raiders' Christian Wilkins ($27.5 million AAV).
Williams was widely considered one of the top defensive free agents after a breakout season with the Philadelphia Eagles last year. He tallied 5.0 sacks with one forced fumble, seven tackles for loss and 10 QB hits in the regular season last year.
He was a dominant force in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs, tallying two sacks, three solo tackles, two tackles for loss, one QB hit, and a game-altering fumble recovery.
Prior to the Patriots swooping in to secure his signature, the Carolina Panthers — who shelled out a record deal for cornerback Jaycee Horn earlier in the day — were reported to be on the verge of signing Williams.
According to Schefter, Carolina was close to making a deal, but New England upped its price and forced Williams' hand.
The 25-year-old was selected by the Eagles in the third round, 73rd overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech.
COMMENTS
When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.