Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Within the final 60 hours, Minnesota Vikings followers have thrown Kansas Metropolis Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith to the facet just like the Toy Story meme in favor of Philadelphia Eagles defensive deal with Milton Williams.
Vikings Followers Fall in Love with New Free Agent Goal
Why? Effectively, Williams balled out in Tremendous Bowl LIX en path to the Eagles shellacking the Chiefs, whereas Kansas Metropolis’s offensive line was ravaged.
Stephen Lew-Imagn Photographs.
Subsequently, recognizing that the purple crew wants offensive and defensive enhancements within the trenches, Williams, a free agent in 4 weeks, is the brand new object of want. The Eagles make use of high-profile DTs Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis and could also be unable to re-sign Williams. There’s solely a lot cash in an annual wage cap. Williams could possibly be the odd man out for the Tremendous Bowl champs.
SI.com’s Will Ragatz tweeted Monday, the day after the Tremendous Bowl: “Milton Williams in the Super Bowl: 90.9 PFF grade, 4 pressures, 2 sacks, FF, FR. Only 26 years old. I’d give him close to 4/$80M.”
Vikings fan Wealthy Funk posted on X, “Omg And Vikings please go sign Milton Williams, thank you.”
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Photographs.
And that was the tip of the iceberg for pro-Williams sentiment on social media. Vikings followers have a brand new goal to daydream about in free company.
Getting into the 2025 offseason, Minnesota has these DTs below contract:
Harrison Phillips
Jalen Redmond
Levi Drake Rodriguez
Taki Taimani
Travis Bell
That group will endure change, and keen Vikings trustworthy hope Williams can headline the highest of the ticket. If Minnesota’s entrance workplace obliged followers’ recommendation, the defensive trenches could possibly be cooking with fuel. Followers have requested for an influence pass-rushing inside defensive lineman for a few decade — since Kevin Williams left city in 2013.
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Right here’s Milton’s Professional Soccer Focus resume since becoming a member of the league in 2021:
2024: 70.1
2023: 69.7
2022: 72.6
2021: 49.0
Williams reworked into an elite pass-rushing DT this season, notching a fabulous 90.4 PFF mark by way of go rush. That ranked second within the NFL behind Chiefs defensive deal with Chris Jones.
Furthermore, PFF linked Williams’ upcoming free company to Minnesota final month. PFF’s Bradley Locker assigned one main free agent thought for every NFL crew and wrote about Williams to Minnesota final week, “The Vikings might rank third in defensive EPA per play and sixth in success rate, but their defensive line has been a void. None of Harrison Phillips, Jerry Tillery or Jonathan Bullard posted higher than a 58.8 PFF overall grade during the 2024 regular season.”
After setting the scene concerning Minnesota’s present protection, he added about Williams: “With $75 million to spend this offseason, Minnesota should go big along its defensive interior. Williams turned in a career season in 2024, producing 40 pressures, a 90.4 PFF pass-rush grade and a 17.7% pass-rush win rate — good for third among qualifying defensive linemen. Adding Williams to a defensive line with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner is nightmare fuel for opposing offensive coordinators.”
So, the idea was already on the market. Williams’ 2 sacks and a pair of tackles for loss merely plopped his free-agent resume entrance and middle for 126 million people watching at dwelling.
Tim Heitman-Imagn Photographs.
Make no mistake: followers would welcome Trey Smith, too, however basic supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could not manage to pay for each. Smith will value not less than $20 million, and Williams gained’t be far behind.
Williams will flip 26 in April. Free company begins in 4 weeks.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options friends, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple crew, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as carefully because the NFL.
All statistics offered by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data offered by OverTheCap.com.
