Expectations for Milton Williams in his first season with the New England Patriots are expectedly high, but one insider isn’t sold the defensive tackle can live up to his massive contract — at least not yet.
The Patriots signed the 26-year-old to a four-year, $104 million contract with a whopping $63 million guaranteed, but Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard isn’t sure Williams will be able to live up to the deal.
I like Milton Williams, he’s a good player, but in terms of … He’s just not, he doesn’t have a variety of pass-rusher moves,” Bedard said in a weekly appearance with “Felger and Mazz” on 98.5 The Sports Hub ahead of New England’s 2025 debut. “He’s very much a power guy, and he certainly can do that at times. He showed up at times during the summer and during the preseason games he played, but you’re hoping for Aaron Donald lite, that’s not Milton Williams.
“They need to be dominating — is it (Christian) Barmore, is it Williams? He’s a good player, (but) they definitely overpaid for him where he is right now. You’re hoping (two) years from now he’s going to be worthy of that contract, but right now, where he is, I think fans are going to be underwhelmed.”
Will Milton Williams ‘Underwhelm’ in First Patriots Season?
Notably, Bedard’s analysis came during a “Three Up, Three Down” segment in which he included Williams as part of his “down” group.
Williams, a 2021 third-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, turned himself into a valuable member of a Super Bowl-winning defense. He’s coming off arguably the best season of his four-year NFL career. Williams registered a career-high five sacks and added another 24 tackles — including seven for losses — as part of a stellar Philly front. He was even better in the playoffs, with two sacks, a pair of passes defended and a forced fumble in the Eagles‘ run to a Super Bowl title.
To Bedard’s general point, there’s some projection involved with the signing. Williams technically only started seven games for the Eagles last season, and he largely was able to blend into the background more on a star-studded defense. Now, coming into his prime, he’ll be expected to carry a heavy load for a young Patriots that doesn’t have a ton of talent.
Williams Taking on Bigger Role With Patriots
How Williams will be affected by no longer playing behind/alongside (Jordan) Davis, (Jalen) Carter and the Eagles other D-linemen — as those players sometimes drew attention that created advantageous situations for Williams — is unknown,” ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss wrote when the Patriots signed him in March.
It’s borderline stunning that the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Williams has never played more than 50% of his team’s defensive snaps in any of his four seasons. He logged a career-high 48% snap count in 2024, but whether he can handle an increased workload for Mike Vrabel’s team is a major storyline as the Patriots look to put a pair of four-win seasons behind them.
Williams, it’s safe to assume, might disagree with Bedard’s assessment. At the least, it’s clear he believes he can get by with the arsenal he has.
“Most of the time, guys struggle with sitting down to my power, so they’re trying to (pass) set different, and then I get on the edge quicker because they’re trying to stop me in my tracks earlier,” Williams said on the team’s podcast shortly after signing. “If I catch your hand, it’s over because I’m (going to) run by you.”
Patriots Insider Warns Fans About $104 Million Offseason Signing