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Whenever the Minnesota Vikings’ postseason run ends, they must sort through several question marks on their roster. The Vikings’ defensive line will need attention, and Milton Williams of the Philadelphia Eagles could be an answer in free agency.
The No. 73 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Williams will be an unrestricted free agent during the 2025 offseason barring an extension with the Eagles.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes Williams should be the Vikings’ top outside target.
“It seems highly likely that Byron Murphy Jr. and/or Stephon Gilmore will get re-signed ahead of free agency. With that assumption, adding an interior pass-rusher should be Minnesota’s biggest priority in the offseason as the position group could use a boost. Also, Jonathan Bullard, Jerry Tillery and Jihad Ward are impending free agents,” Ballentine wrote on January 7.
“Williams should be the club’s top target on the open market. The 25-year-old has five sacks (11.5 in four seasons) and 39 total pressures through Week 17 this season, earning an elite 90.6 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus that ranks second at the position.”
Williams is in the final year of a four-year, $5.1 million contract with $6.8 million in career earnings, per Over The Cap.
OTC projects the Vikings to have $75.5 million in cap space.
Whether or not they will spend any of that on a player like Williams, or if they will even have a chance to, remains unclear. But there is reason to believe his time in Philadelphia may be over and that the Vikings could be a landing spot in free agency.
Milton Williams a Legitimate Interior Pass Rusher
GettyMilton Williams #93 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Dallas Cowboys.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman raved about Williams after the draft in 2021, noting the lineman’s versatility. That would play well in the Vikings’ current system.
“Milton is a twitched-up, explosive player who’s got scheme versatility,” Roseman said, per Eagles.com’s Chris McPherson in May 2021. “He can play 3-technique and he can get quick pressure on the quarterback. He can bump outside and set the edge and play early downs in the run game.”
Williams’ 5.0 sacks during the regular season set a new career high. That would have led the Vikings DTs. He had a down year with 0.5 sacks in 2023 despite starting a career-high 10 of his 16 games played. But Williams had 4.0 sacks in 2022, appearing in all 17 games as a reserve.
The Eagles still have five defensive tackles under contract for the 2025 season.
That includes starters Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, which could leave Williams the odd man out this offseason. The Vikings could capitalize on the situation in free agency.
Vikings Potentially Deep Enough to Pass on Milton Williams in Free Agency
GettyLevi Drake Rodriguez #50 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before a game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Vikings have three DTs under contract for 2025: starter and veteran Harrison Phillips, rookie seventh-round pick Levi Drake Rodriguez, and undrafted rookie free agent Taki Taimani.
All three are under contract for 2025 and are more run-stoppers than rushers like Williams.
Phillips led the position with a 59.4% snap share, with Bullard at 50.5%, Tillery and Ward at 41.1%, Taimani at 6.1%, and Rodriguez at .5%, per Pro Football Reference. The Vikings are high on Rodriguez.
But Williams could be a luxury option for the Vikings in free agency. They could have more pressing needs at quarterback, running back, and safety in addition to cornerback.
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