Report: Carolina Panthers finalizing deal with DT Milton Williams

The Panthers thought they landed one of the best available defensive players on the market. Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams was reportedly finalizing a deal to join Carolina, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via Threads, but the deal has fallen through.

Instead, the defensive tackle will be signing with the New England Patriots, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport posed on X, and Schefter later confirmed. The deal will pay Williams $26 million per season, as he heads to the AFC East.

Williams was drafted by the Eagles out of Louisiana Tech in 2021. He was selected in the third round, pick No. 71 overall. At the start of his career, he learned from players like Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave. Then, he developed into a more than solid piece for a Super Bowl-winning defense.

His seminal came in this past season’s Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. Williams amassed two sacks and forced and recovered a fumble while terrorizing Patrick Mahomes. That certainly helped as he hit free agency, while the Eagles will move forward with players like Jalen Carter leading their defense.

Time will tell if Milton Williams can keep up his impressive play with the Patriots, but there’s plenty of reason to be excited about the 25-year old’s future in New England. The Eagles were certainly satisfied with his services, and now he’ll continue his NFL journey with the Patriots.

More on the Carolina Panthers, NFL Free Agency

While they didn’t land Milton Williams, the Panthers agreed to pay a different defensive star on Monday. Jaycee Horn, who’s coming off his best season in his fourth year with the franchise, will now be compensated at a historic, market-changing number in the NFL.

Per Ian Rapoport, Carolina has signed Horn to a four-year deal worth a total of $100 million with $70 million of that guaranteed. The contract has a maximum value of up to $108 million. With that, Horn is now the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. He and the Panthers both announced the news as Horn took to Twitter this morning to share his gratitude for the extension.

The $25 million per year is highest now among defensive backs in the NFL. This contract also puts Horn just behind Denzel Ward in total value but ahead of a collection that consists of names like Marshon Lattimore, Marlon Humphrey, Trevon Diggs, and Patrick Surtain II.

Horn has appeared in 37 starts the past four seasons in Charlotte. In that time, he has posted 153 tackles, 26 deflections, and five interceptions plus a pair of sacks.

— On3’s Sam Gillenwater contributed to this article.