Saints predicted to poach $5.1 million rising star from dominant Eagles defense

The Philadelphia Eagles are loaded with young talent on defense, but GM Howie Roseman and Co. will have some tough decisions to make in the coming years.

After locking up quarterback Jalen Hurts with a five-year extension in 2023, the Eagles inked A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley to top-of-the-market deals this past offseason.

On defense, Philly will have to address pending free agents like linebacker Zack Baun, EDGE defender Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Milton Williams. That’s not to mention players like Nakobe Dean and Jordan Davis coming up on the final years of their rookie contracts. 

NFL teams could look to poach some of Philly’s young talent if they get to free agency, and the scouting department from Bleacher Report recently tabbed Williams as a potential flight risk in 2025.

The site picked the New Orleans Saints as a frontrunner to land Williams. Here was their take:

“New Orleans could use some help at defensive tackle so signing the Louisiana Tech product in free agency should be on the front office’s mind. Williams has played in more of a rotational role during his tenure in Philadelphia, but he’s been having a good season as a pass-rusher so far in 2024. The 25-year-old ranked seventh among interior defenders with an 80.6 grade in that department from Pro Football Focus heading into this past weekend. Also, he’s young and shouldn’t break the bank on the open market, a good combination for a cash-strapped rebuilding team.”

The Eagles have a history of drafting and developing talent, and Williams feels like a player Roseman will try to keep around. It’s fair to question, however, just how much Williams will cost if he hits the open market.

In October, the Detroit Lions extended defensive tackle Alim McNeill to a four-year, $97 million contract extension with $28 million fully guaranteed. That’s a rich contract for a player drafted one pick before Williams in the 2021 NFL Draft. The production of each player is also remarkably similar:

Alim McNeil vs. Milton Williams career statsPlayerGPSOLO TOTSACKAlim McNeil566213011.5Milton Williams59621029.5—GP (games played), SOLO (solo tackles), TOT (total tackles)

The Eagles allowed Williams to enter a walk year, and the McNeil contract certainly won’t work in their favor this offseason. Still, building from the trenches out remains a core philosophy in Philly, and Williams has helped form a solid trio with Davis and Jalen Carter.

His second contract could be pricier than most expect, but the smart money is on Williams sticking around for the foreseeable future.

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