It has been a busy offseason for the Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel. Determined to turn things around after a few disappointing seasons, New England has aggressively addressed multiple areas of the roster in free agency, taking full advantage of their ample cap space. Given Vrabel’s defensive-minded approach, it’s no surprise that the Patriots have invested heavily on that side of the ball. Their biggest acquisition? 2025 Super Bowl champion Milton Williams.
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Williams is thrilled to be with the Patriots for the next four seasons after signing a massive $104 million contract. However, in the early hours of free agency, he was nearly on his way to the Panthers. Carolina initially made the best offer on the table, and Williams, believing no better deal was coming, was ready to pack his bags for Charlotte. But then, the Patriots swooped in with a game-changing offer.
On the latest episode of The Insiders, Williams explained why he ultimately chose the cold of New England over the warmer climate of Carolina. According to him, once the Patriots’ offer came in, the Panthers refused to budge, insisting they had already offered him more than enough.
“My agent, they were all on the phone talking and teams are coming in with new deals after new deals. It happened really fast. They told me about Carolina and I was like if it’s the only best offer we can get, so we’re going there. But then New England hopped on and came in and showed me they wanted me the most and made me a priority. So I made them a priority.”
The Eagles drafted Williams in the 3rd round in 2021. He stayed there for four successful years but he never got to show his full potential. Now he has the chance to do that in New England but he will have to make some changes to be more useful.
Williams needs to make changes to become a starter in New England
The Super Bowl winner started only 17 games in the past four years. With this money, the Pats would expect more out of him and to get used to more workload, he needs to make some changes. The good thing is, he’s ready for the challenge.
“I’m gonna do what I have always done, which is put in the work. Just extra conditioning, boxing, running, trying to make sure I’m eating right, eating cleaner, and getting the right amount of sleep. Anything I can do in my power, I’m trying to do whatever I can to make sure I’m fully functioning. I’m all ears for any suggestions on what I should do.”
A certain level of responsibility and leadership would be expected of the Super Bowl winner. The Patriots are trying to establish a winning culture and they need guys like Williams to set the tone. Is he prepared to do that?
Well, he is not big on speech as a way to lead and motivate. He believes in leading by example and lets his actions on the field do that talking. Milton is ready for opportunities and leadership and give his all in this new endeavor.
