Milton Williams hit free agency this year for the first time in his career and will be one of the top free agents available. Are the Eagles going to bring him back? I’m sure they would love to, if possible. He’s a homegrown talent, having been taken in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft by the Eagles, and plays a premium position in the league, a position the Eagles put a lot of value in. Unfortunately, it does not seem like there’s much of a chance that Williams will play in an Eagles uniform next year. While Howie Roseman has shown a mastery of manipulating the cap in his career as the Eagles’ General Manager, the cap is indeed real, and Milton Williams is a player the team likely is not able to afford.
So how much is Milton Williams going to make in free agency?
To determine this, a good place to look is to Osa Odighizuwa, the defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys who recently inked a 4-year, 80 million dollar extension with 58 million guaranteed. There are major similarities between Williams and Odighizuwa going all the way back to their draft day. They were taken 2 picks apart in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft, with Williams going at pick 73 and Odighizuwa at pick 75. They both are better pass rushers than run stoppers. Both had mini-breakouts this past season after showing flashes in their previous 3 years, Odighizuwa as a starter in 46 of 50 games for the Cowboys, and Williams in more of a rotational role for the Eagles. This past year, they played the most snaps of their careers and had the most production. Odighizuwa played 78% of the snaps, had 4.5 sacks, and according to Pro Football Focus, had 60 total pressures (4th among interior defensive linemen). Williams played 48% of the snaps, had 5 sacks, and according to Pro Football Focus, had 40 total pressures. He also got 2 sacks in the postseason, including the strip sack on Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. The one knock on Williams is that he’s never played more than 50% of the snaps in a season, but this shouldn’t dissuade teams from signing him when the production is there. Overall, that 4-year, 80-million-dollar deal Odighizuwa should be around what Milton gets. The price for Williams will probably shoot up a bit more, considering he’s one of the best free agents in this weak class, and there are many teams this year with loads of cap space. This means many free agents will get inflated deals. So expect Williams to cash in on a 3 or 4 year deal worth between 20 and 25 million dollars per year.
Considering this is the amount of money Milton Williams will command on the open market, the Eagles are highly likely to let him walk, as he is a player this team cannot afford.
