When the 2024 NFL season ended, former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams was riding high. Fresh off a stellar performance during Philly’s Super Bowl run, Williams entered the 2025 free agency as a hot commodity. However, no one could have predicted the jaw-dropping contract he would secure from the New England Patriots: a four-year, $104 million deal, averaging a staggering $26 million per year. This massive payday, fueled by a bidding war with the Carolina Panthers, has quickly become a lightning rod for criticism, with NFL analyst Lou Scataglia labeling it one of the worst contracts heading into the 2025 season.
In 2024, Williams played all 17 regular-season games for the Eagles, amassing five sacks, 24 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 10 quarterback hits. While these numbers are respectable, they hardly scream “elite” for a player who had never logged more than 600 defensive snaps in a season prior to last year. His standout playoff performance, however, seems to have created a recency bias that inflated his market value far beyond expectations. Scataglia, writing for NFL Spin Zone, didn’t mince words: “Williams is getting paid a whopping $26 million per year by the New England Patriots, and this honestly feels like one of those instances where a team spent a ton of money just because they had a ton to spend. This is not an accurate representation of the type of production to expect from Milton Williams.”
The Eagles, to their credit, played their cards wisely. By letting Williams enter the final year of his rookie deal without an extension, they gambled on his performance—and lost. His breakout 2024 campaign priced him out of Philadelphia’s financial plans, especially with their already stacked defensive roster. Williams thrived in Philly’s elite defense, benefiting from playing alongside game-wreckers like Jalen Carter and a stellar linebacker and cornerback corps that often left quarterbacks with nowhere to go. This context made Williams look better than he might have been, raising questions about whether he can replicate that production in New England.
For the Patriots, the signing was a bold move under new head coach Mike Vrabel, who was tasked with rebuilding a team reeling from the Jerod Mayo era. With ample cap space, New England aimed to make a splash, and Williams became their guy. But at $26 million per year, the expectations are sky-high—perhaps unrealistically so. Can Williams transform into a dominant force like Jeffery Simmons, or will he remain a solid but unspectacular starter? Early indications suggest the latter, making this deal a potential albatross for the Patriots.
Scataglia’s critique resonates: the Patriots’ massive investment in Williams feels like a case of overspending to fill a need rather than securing a true game-changer. As the 2025 season looms, this contract is already shaping up to be one of New England’s biggest regrets, with Williams’ $104 million gamble likely to haunt their books for years to come.