After watching him almost sign with the Panthers, Mike Vrabel reveals how the Patriots were able to land Milton Williams in free agency.

Losing out on Williams may have been a bitter pill to swallow, but the Panthers didn't sit around and sulk about it. Carolina, later that day, ended up reaching deals with four defenders—defensive linemen Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton, outside linebacker Patrick Jones II and safety Tre'von Moehrig.

Free-agent DL Milton Williams, who was thought to be finalizing a deal with the Panthers, is now headed to the Patriots.

Milton Williams is a big man with a big contract, and he has big plans for the New England Patriots defense. The Patriots introduced the defensive lineman to New England on Thursday, as the team welcomed in four of its signings from the first week of NFL free agency.

After ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Monday that Eagles star Milton Williams was finalizing a deal with the Carolina Panthers, the New England Patriots swooped in to ultimately acquire the defensive tackle. They've agreed to a deal that's worth $26 million per season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

In a shocking twist, the Carolina Panthers ’ hopes of adding star defensive tackle Milton Williams to their ranks have been dashed. After being in the driver’s seat for his signature, the Panthers were blindsided by the New England Patriots, who swooped in at the last moment to sign Williams to a lucrative $26 million per season deal.

The New England Patriots spent more than $200 million in free agency to shore up their defense on Monday, reportedly adding defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis and linebacker Robert Spillane.