Milton Williams details how close he was to signing with Panthers over Patriots

"They wanted me the most and made me a priority. So, I made them a priority."

Milton Williams shared how close he was to signing with the Panthers in free agency. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

March 22, 2025

2 minutes to read

Milton Williams was a key free agency signing for the Patriots, who are looking to re-establish their identity under Mike Vrabel.

But New England was very close to missing out on the Super Bowl champion defensive tackle. The Carolina Panthers pushed hard to acquire Williams, and a report even prematurely surfaced that terms were agreed upon.

While that, of course, turned out to be untrue, Williams explained on NFL Network’s “The Insiders” that he was indeed prepared to sign with Carolina.

“There was a lot going on, and it happened really fast. They talked about Carolina then and I was like, ‘alright, it sounds like the best offer we are going to get, so, we were going to go there’,” Williams said. “Then, a split second later, New England hopped on and was like, ‘Nah, this is what we got for you.’

“Carolina felt like they went too high on their number, so, they stayed at where they were at. New England came in, and it was [over] after that. They wanted me the most and made me a priority. So, I made them a priority.”

The Patriots weren’t shy about shelling out money in the first week of free agency, and Williams wound up signing the richest contract in franchise history to join a reshaped defensive front.

New England also signed Harold Landry, adding him and Williams to a defensive line that should also include Keion White and Christian Barmore.

With their latest crop of free agents, along with a few key pieces already in the building, the Patriots’ defense should be vastly improved in 2025.

“Coach Vrabel was just preaching to me how they are going to use me in their defense. Also, how he wants a guy at every level of the defense for free agency,” Williams said. “He wants us to come in and try to change the culture around with what’s been going on in New England the last couple of years. I definitely think he picked the right guys for that.”

Williams will look to build a leadership role in New England, leaning on his postseason experience to guide a team five years removed from its last postseason berth.