Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is widely considered to be perhaps the best in the entire league. He routinely makes shrewd decisions both in free agency and in the draft, having laid a fantastic foundation that propelled the organization to a Super Bowl championship last year.
Every season sees players come and go, however, and standout defensive tackle Milton Williams represents one of the team's biggest losses going into the 2025 campaign.
Williams signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the New England Patriots, a price Roseman was clearly unwilling to pay. We'll see how it works out in the end, though Williams has already caught a big break with his new squad.
DL Milton Williams says the #Patriots defensive scheme is similar to what he ran last year in Philly under Vic Fangio.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) July 30, 2025
One exception: the D-line is attacking at all times. Much less read-and-react, if any at all, in this system. pic.twitter.com/bXPRrmQiDF
Former Eagles DT Milton Williams Notes Patriots' Scheme is Similar to Vic Fangio's
Speaking to the media on Wednesday at training camp, Williams noted that the Patriots' defensive scheme is similar to what he ran with the Eagles under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. There is one key exception, as Williams declared that the defensive line is attacking at all times. While Fangio encourages defenders to react, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel prefers less reading responsibility and just wants players to force the issue.
Vrabel is a vaunted defensive mind whose Tennessee Titans teams routinely ranked among the NFL's best, so there's evidence that both systems work. For Williams, who ranked 30th out of 219 qualified interior defensive linemen at Pro Football Focus, that could allow him to focus on compiling sacks and supporting a talented secondary in a tough division.
Williams posted career highs with five sacks and 10 quarterback hits yet will face heightened expectations now that he's a $100 million man. New England has suffered through poor seasons in recent years but has hope for the future thanks to quarterback Drake Maye, and Williams can be a huge part of that transition.
For the Eagles, they're content with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter holding down the fort. Philadelphia still has perhaps the best defensive line in the league even without Williams, but it's good to see that the Super Bowl champion feels comfortable in his new system.
This seems to be a win-win situation. The Eagles and Patriots won't play each other in the 2025 regular season, but you can bet that fans will be keeping an eye on how Williams is doing over in New England.