Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Free Agency: Depth Moves vs. Game-Changers; Milton Williams: Insider’s Look

Starting point is 00:00:00 The New England Patriots are still looking for that big ticket signing when it comes to offense, but are they adding enough depth on this team to be just as impactful for 2025? Stick around, you're about to be locked into the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxboro faithful. Thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. I'm your host, Mike Debate. I cover your New England Patriots right here on the Locked On Podcast Network. So reach out to me. Let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL. While you're out there showing some love to Locked On Patriots, social media style, follow our account there as well at LO underscore Patriots.

Starting point is 00:00:56 And Pats fans, you can catch me also where the skies are blue over on blue sky at mdabatenfl.bsky.social. And Pats fans, today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. All of you Foxboro faithful, it has been quite the interesting week here in New England. Started off with an explosion of free agency signings starting Sunday night into Monday. Since then, things have cooled a little bit, but the Patriots are not resting on their laurels. They're adding depth along the offensive line and on defense, and they're hoping these depth pieces can make a positive impact on the team heading into the 2025 regular season.

Starting point is 00:01:42 And today we're going to talk about the additions of offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer. We're going to talk about the addition of safety Marcus Epps and of course a signing which occurred late Thursday afternoon, edge rusher Kayla Von Chieson. And in a continuing segment here on Locked On Patriots, we're going to be getting to know the new guys and what better way to kick it off than with the Patriots big ticket signing so far. The most lucrative contract in Patriots history belongs to defensive tackle Milton Williams and here today to lend his wisdom and counsel on the subject is my good buddy and colleague here on Locked On Patriots, the host of Locked On Eagles, Louis DiBiase. But before I bring in one Paisan, I'm going to bring in my Patriots Paisan,

Starting point is 00:02:26 and that is my good friend, columnist extraordinaire at PetsFans.com, as well as being the co-host of another amazing Patriots podcast, Patriots 4th and 2, which should be a part of your daily rotation. If it's not, do it now. You won't regret it. My good buddy, Steve Ballastrieri. Steve, thanks for coming on the show today. Thank you for helping kick off the weekend here on Lockdown Patriots. It's been an exciting week, hasn't it? I mean, you know, the Patriots, you know, fans have been clamoring for them to sign some splash guys and they definitely did that and so they filled a lot of holes.

Starting point is 00:03:05 I know some people are still lamenting about offense, but things have just kicked off this week. They're gonna make some moves. I think, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a trade coming down the pike at some point. Yeah, it's kind of angling in that direction, isn't it Steve? I mean, it almost seems like the New England Patriots have kind of been in on some wide receivers saying on some rumors

Starting point is 00:03:29 Again as we approach the end of business on Friday and the weekend starts to creep up We're hearing that the Cincinnati Bengals are very close to deals with both Jamar Chase and T Higgins So those dreams may be off the table, but there's still a lot that the New England Patriots can do, including utilize their draft capital to bring in an exciting young potential future star on offense. But what I wanted to do, Steve, is I wanted to talk about the moves that the Patriots are making, because they are bringing in some depth pieces. They weren't going to let the weekend go quietly into that good night. They were going to find a way to strengthen some of the positions most in need of some quality depth.

Starting point is 00:04:11 And I think they've done that over the course of the last 24 to 48 hours. Let's start with the moves that were made on Friday. In the first move, adding offensive lineman, Wes Schweitzer. Now, Schweitzer is coming in as a guard. He's primarily playing along the interior. The Patriots have a clear need at the tackle position,

Starting point is 00:04:28 especially at the left-hand side. Morgan Moses kind of took care of their dilemma on the right, but that left is still wide open. The Patriots still have a glaring need in the middle of that offensive line after the surprising release of David Andrews. So when you look at Schweitzer, 31 years old, 62 starts since entering the league in 2016. He was a draftee, came in in the sixth round, played with the Atlanta Falcons, the Washington Commanders, and of

Starting point is 00:04:53 course the New York Jets, overlapping his time with new Patriots by receivers coach Todd Downing. So again there's familiarity with a member of the coaching staff. You can understand why the Patriots are making this move. I think this is a decent signing. Has the potential to even be a good signing, but this is not a needle mover. This is not going to change the complexity of the starting five of this offensive line. This one has simple depth piece written all over it in my estimation. Yeah, I think that's exactly what it is.

Starting point is 00:05:23 And you take it as such, you know, I don't think they're expecting him to come in here and, you know, supplant anybody right off the bat. Now, you never know, right? He might come into, you know, the training camp and and you know blow everybody away, but They're not expecting that from him They're expecting him to be what he has been and that is a valuable versatile guy Who can back up people at the either guard position or at center, right? He's played a little bit of center, but you know you know, he's one of those guys in case of emergency break glass and that's what he was signed for. They did not sign him with

Starting point is 00:06:16 the, like you said, with the intention of this is going to move the needle. I think you've got to have depth along your offensive line. The Patriots had very much a lack of it last year. A lot of it was because of injury, but you know, you're bringing in an established vet and he'll do his job. I don't think, again, he's not a starter and people shouldn't get too excited about it thinking that, oh my God, they're going to put this guy in there. I mean, he's a depth guy. Yeah, without any question, he totally is a depth guy.

Starting point is 00:06:52 And again, I think it comes back to the type of player that the Patriots are targeting, especially on this offensive line. Six four, 300 pounds, so you're dealing with a guy that's sizable. He's not easy to move around. So I think the Pats like that. They want to get some continuity, some stability,

Starting point is 00:07:08 maybe on the bench when it comes to offensive linemen and swing guys that they can utilize on the interior. 4,572 offensive snaps played 99% of the downs in his second year in the NFL. So this kid does have durability and is someone that can be relied upon to take a large number if there's an injury along the offensive line or if there's subpar play along the offensive line, this guy can step in and provide some continuity there. He started at left guard. He spelled in at both tackle spots. We've seen him report in as an eligible tight end. I wonder if Mike Raible had a little chuckle watching that and thinking about the possibilities of this guy

Starting point is 00:07:49 lining up in the jumbo packages. But mostly, he's been a right guard in the NFL. And like you said, he has played some center. So I think at this point, it's a good move for the New England Patriots to bring someone like Schweitzer in. But I wouldn't say this is the type of needle moving move that's going to replace David Andrews. Far from it. They got a lot of work to do. I think the jury is still out on who's going to be the center for this team, and definitely they need to address the left tackle position.

Starting point is 00:08:17 That position, in my opinion, is wide open as we speak. Steve, the Patriots weren't done on Friday because they made another move on the defensive side of the ball and that was bringing in veteran safety most recently of the Las Vegas Raiders, Marcus Epps. Epps coming into the NFL in 2019 as a sixth round pick of the Minnesota Vikings. He's played with the Vikings, the Eagles. Of course, he spent last two seasons with the Raiders and now he comes to the Patriots. 294 tackles, two forced fumbles, 18 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and three interceptions. Obviously, this is someone that's going to come in that the Patriots are going to

Starting point is 00:08:57 try to use, I believe, as a center fielder when they put those three safety sets in, when they play some dime packages. Once again, a great depth piece, but I don't think this is going to be a needle mover in terms of pushing either one of the starters. Assuming the Patriots are going to bring back Kyle Dugger and Jabril Peppers, which I believe they will, I think Epps makes a nice third man in that rotation.

Starting point is 00:09:23 Yes, I agree with that. And again, I agree with that. And again, I mean, you can never have enough good depth. Um, you know, I like what they got out of Del Pettis last year. So, I mean, not now you have, you know, as well as, uh, absolutely also have Hawkins, you know, I mean, so their safety group is going to be it once again, I mean, for a while there, that was the deepest position on the team and it's a needle mover, but again, you can't have enough good depth and you know, perhaps like you said, they see more of a center fielder role for him when they get in their nickel and dime packages and you know, he's he's more

Starting point is 00:10:20 than capable of helping out in that aspect. I like the signing. Absolutely. And look, low risk, high reward. They're signing in on a $4.4 million deal. This is a kid that is coming off of an ACL, which may explain why he was on the shelf for a few days. Teams may be a little bit leery to bring them in, but all the medical surrounding Marcus Epps right now to bring them in, but all the medical surrounding Marcus Epps right now indicate that he will be ready to go for training camp, and he'll be all set to showcase his talents as soon as the Patriots need him to do so. So once again, folks, the Patriots adding depth at key pieces, key positions, and they keep fortifying that defense. It makes you wonder whether or not the Patriots are planning another offensive onslaught when it comes to the 2025 NFL draft. Jerry's still out on that one, folks, and we'll get into what all of these signings mean for the draft in the subsequent weeks here on Locked On Patriots, but a very intriguing move made by the Patriots on Thursday night. Some fortification

Starting point is 00:11:19 of that edge rush. Steve and I are going to talk about K. LeVon Chieson in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. A proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, March Madness is here and FanDuel is giving you the chance to get in on the action like never before. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. That's 200 extra bucks to use on everything, from buzzer beaters to Cinderella stories, and even who's cutting down the nets. I've got my eye on a few underdogs this year, and FanDuel makes it easy to back them with spreads, totals, and game prompts. And the FanDuel app is simple to use. When I win, I get paid instantly. No waiting around.

Starting point is 00:12:10 So visit FanDuel.com and get in on the College Hoops action all tournament long. FanDuel.com. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked on Patriots. As we continue to break down the week that was here in Foxboro, from the free agent frenzy that was Sunday night into Monday for the Patriots, to adding some much needed depth toward the end of the week, Pats have been active in putting that wealth of cap space that we talked about last weekend with our good friend Miguel Benzón to good use. On Friday, the Patriots made a couple of depth moves, but a move that they made on Thursday may have the chance to move the needle a little bit more. And we're going to talk about that

Starting point is 00:12:54 signing right now with our guest today, our good friend, my Patriots byzón, Steve Balestrari of Pat'sFans.com. Steve, on Thursday afternoon, the New England Patriots revealed that they were indeed bringing a former number 20 overall pick up. Kalevan Chiehsan, Patriots signing him to a one-year, $5 million deal. Once again, a former Raider, the third former Raider that the Patriots are now bringing in, if you count Marcus Epps and Rob Spillane. So Chiehsan to me is an interesting signing. He played 15 games for the Raiders last year, 32 tackles, five sacks, forced the fumble and snagged an interception. This kid knows how to play for big-time programs, big-time teams. Everybody remembers him from LSU.

Starting point is 00:13:37 He was a part of that national championship team. He was a number 20 overall pick in 2020 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That's where he met current Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone. So once again, continuity, the guy that knows the coaching staff. When you look at his game and you look at what he can bring to the table skill set wise, and you look at the Patriots need at pass rush, how do you see Chieson fitting in? And what are your thoughts on this signing for New England? Well again, this is a really good depth signing. You know when I heard that, hey the Patriots signed an edge fresher from the Raiders, I was like oh they made a deal for Max Groatby.

Starting point is 00:14:28 for Max Grosby. But no, unfortunately, it wasn't that. But no, this, this kid's got some talent. He never lived up to that first round, you know, draft selection there. But he seemed to come on at the end of the year for the Raiders. And you know, this is one of those low risk, high reward type of signings. And again, you have some good pass rushers now. And those guys are going to need a spell here and there, right? I mean, you can't have enough good guys to do that. And they were definitely lacking in the pass rush department last year

Starting point is 00:15:06 So now you know you're bringing a guy like this He's definitely gonna be one of those sub package guys You know he'll he'll spell whoever needs you know to catch a breath out there and and that's that's great because He has the tools we know we know he has the tools. We know he has that. We started LSU and he's flashed at times, well especially late in this last season with the Raider. Right, very good point.

Starting point is 00:15:35 They're not emptying the bank vault here for him. It's a pretty modest contract for an edge rusher. And if he works out, I mean, that's just going to add another piece to the puzzle of the defense. But I like the signing because I think that, you know, I don't picture him as a starter. He might spot start, you know, somebody's banged up or whatever, but. You know, I just look at this as another really good depth signing for the team coming up and it just solidifies that defense. This defense is gonna look a lot different this

Starting point is 00:16:16 year. Oh it absolutely is and the reason why I think I like Jason signing and I think it has the chance to move the needle maybe more than the S. signing definitely more than the Schreitzer signing for the offensive line, is that they're getting someone in Chiesan that is on the upswing when it comes to his NFL level skill set and they're getting something in him that the Patriots desperately needed last year. And that's the ability to play the ball. That's the ability to get production out of the football. They need someone that's capable of being able to aid in taking the ball away. Now, in his first few years in the NFL, Kehlavon Jason was not the type of guy that was active in getting the ball away from your opponent. But last year as a Raider, I thought it was very interesting that you saw him

Starting point is 00:17:01 attacking the football a lot more. He was breaking up more passes. He forced his first career fumble. He was able to register an interception. These were career firsts for him. So I think in a Terrell Williams type of environment where it is all about aggression, it is all about, you know, putting everything out there. I always use the Cobra Kai analogy, the strike first, strike hard, no mercy type of defense that he likes to play. This guy's fitting very well into it, and I think he's rounding into his own in terms of his skill set. So even though his numbers don't stand out in that regard, I think if you look at the way he played last year, you'll see it. And the Patriots, again, were so deficient in that area in 2024. 30th in the league, only 12 takeaways last season. Patriots have to improve on that.

Starting point is 00:17:46 I think Chiesan gives them the opportunity to do it. Yeah, and again, I mean, the defense is going to be aggressive. They're going to want these guys, you know, on the edge to play with their hair on fire, you know, and to attack upfield. And think uh they're they're putting together some some good people to do that and I think he he'll be a valuable depth piece I he's definitely gonna make the roster I I don't see where he wouldn't because uh I think they need that you know you have a couple of great edge setters in Landry, Anfony Jennings. Right.

Starting point is 00:18:26 Landry is a very good pass rusher. You have Keon White, and now this guy could spell any of them, depending on the situation. You know, again, max value of $5 million, not a bank breaking type contract. This, to me, is worth the risk. And if he can give you the same type of production that he gave you last year in Las Vegas,

Starting point is 00:18:48 yeah, I think you're looking at a very sneaky, good signing for the New England Patriots. I think all three of these signings in some way, shape or form help to make this team better than they were in 2024. So Steve, once again, I always appreciate your wisdom, your counsel, and I thank you for joining me here today the year of twenty-four. So? Yeah, well, just to let everyone know, the feds aren't going to break in because there's a meeting of the five families, okay?

Starting point is 00:19:32 That's right. But anyway, no, thank you for having me, as always. Of course. It's always a pleasure. This is so, it's, this is my favorite time of year. It's so exciting. There's all these different moves being made. Teams are all shifting one way or the other. And that's what we're gonna be looking at.

Starting point is 00:19:54 This weekend, you know, we'll be writing about the moves that the Patriots made, the ones they still need to make. And you know, how we're looking at the team as a whole, you know. I think they're already a lot better football team than they were the guys who came off the field in January. So yeah without question very good point Steve and again the 2025 NFL draft strategy now starting to look a little bit clearer when you look at depth on this team, you can see where the Patriots have filled

Starting point is 00:20:30 several needs and where several needs still exist. But those of you clamoring for a game-breaking type of pass catcher, whether it be a receiver, a tight end, anybody that can be a big time playmaker for Drake May, trust the process and I do believe that you will see the New England Patriots address that and address it in a big way. How they'll do it, still a matter of still a matter of conjecture but one thing that is not a conjecture is the fact that Milton Williams will be a strong anchor of your defense of the New England Patriots defense in 2025. Here today to tell us a little bit more about Milton Williams is my good friend

Starting point is 00:21:08 and colleague, Louis DiBiase, host of the Locked On Eagles podcast. We cross the streams with Locked On Eagles in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping and entertainment, it's easy to lose track.

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Starting point is 00:22:16 the stress. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code locked on NFL at MonarchMoney.com for 50% off your first year. That's MonarchMoney.com code LOCKEDONNFL for half off your first year. Patriots fans, to wrap up today's show, we are going to continue to get to know the new faces in Foxborough. And today we're going to take a look at the Patriots highest profile addition to their defense Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles, Milton Williams.

Starting point is 00:22:56 And today we're going to give you an insider's look at Milton from someone who knows him quite well. And his insight is as honest and as spot on as it comes. He is the host of Lockdown Eagles, the voice of the Super Bowl champions here on the Lockdown Podcast Network. My good friend and Paisan, Louis DiBiase. Louis, thank you so much for joining me here today. Welcome back to Lockdown Patriots. Yeah, Mike, it's good to have me. It's good to talk to you again. And I would say it's good to have me as the label of the Super Bowl voice of the Lockdown

Starting point is 00:23:26 Podcast Network. I like that a lot. So yeah, I'm happy to talk. Milton Williams, it's sad he's not in Philadelphia anymore, but you guys are getting a good player over there in Boston. Yeah, anticipation's certainly high. I know excitement level is definitely high. And we had the opportunity to meet with Milton on Thursday, and he's only endearing himself

Starting point is 00:23:44 to Patriots Nation more and more as we continue to learn more about him, but you know him as well as anyone you've covered him for the past few years in Philadelphia and Louis this move immediately upgrades the Patriots front seven This is a unit that struggled mightily in terms of trying to get after the quarterback and showing aggression I know for a fact that Milton is going to immediately improve that facet. Five sacks, a career high, 40 quarterback pressures last season. As I've said a few times here now on Locked On Patriots, those 40 pressures were four more than Milton had in the previous two seasons combined. So you know he's stepping up his game. He played a career high 47.8 snaps on defense last year.

Starting point is 00:24:26 I know some Patriots fans were a little squeamish about giving a big contract to someone who hasn't played, uh, over 50% of the team's defensive snaps. But when you got Jalen Carter and you got that type of defense around you, there's only so many snaps that can go around. So I've tried to quell some of the concern surrounding a lot of that with Patriots fans. Of course, Milton shined his brightest in the Super Bowl. That was a great game for him, an excellent showcase of his talents. Two sacks, two stops, four total pressures, and really, I think, instrumental in bringing the Lombardi Trophy

Starting point is 00:25:02 back home to Broad Street and to Philadelphia. So from an on-field standpoint, Williams really is a game changer for New England without any question about it. So given your knowledge, what can you tell us about his skill set and what he meant to the Philadelphia Eagles? He meant a lot. And for any Patriots fans that are kind of nervous about Milton Williams being a one-year wonder and you just paid $26 million a year to a guy that you know you kind of drank the Kool-Aid of a Superbowl hero and you have all this cap space and it could just be like that next story of a bad

Starting point is 00:25:32 team just overpaying for a free agent. I don't really think that's the case and yeah you might look at his past stats and there was such a huge clear jump in 2024. I really don't think performance was a reason Milton Williams was not playing a lot his first few years in Philadelphia in 2021 2022 and 2023. Remember before they had Jalen Carter they also had Fletcher Cox they also had Javon Hargrave during their Super Bowl run they had also signed a bunch of veterans like Linval Joseph and Andonikin Su at the Eagles like to be very deep at the defensive tackle position. They like to rotate at least three to four, sometimes five guys in there. Milton Williams, I always think flashed every year that he

Starting point is 00:26:14 was with the Eagles in all of those four seasons after he was a third round pick. I also thought he was always one of your most consistent pass rushing defensive tackles. That's what you're going to be getting in Milton Williams. Like that's his bread and butter is like you look at pass rush win rate. He had the highest win rate of any defensive tackle in all football last year. Some of that's because Jalen Carter commands more attention than maybe anybody at this position right now in football. But Milton Williams is one of the best one on one pass rushing interior defensive

Starting point is 00:26:42 lineman in football. Will he get more attention in New England than Philadelphia for sure? But that kind of player this age as an ascending talent I think is worth that investment. It's why teams are willing to pay these kind of guys 25 plus million a year. So I wouldn't if you're a Patriots fan kind of nervous about the one-year wonder thing with Milton Williams I wouldn't be. This was his breakout year and I think he's only to get better from here on out. So well said, and I completely agree with you.

Starting point is 00:27:08 And again, I think it speaks volumes to the type of defense that the New England Patriots want to employ. And I think that's why Milton was the centerpiece of trying to achieve that and trying to bring in someone who could be the focal point of this defense. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Tyrell Williams, the Patriots are already expecting to deploy a new defensive scheme this season, a much more aggressive four-down scheme. And the benefit of transitioning to that type of a defense for the Pats, that it does tend

Starting point is 00:27:39 to be more aggressive inherently. Rather than reading and reacting to the run or the pass, the defensive line is going to get unlocked. They're going to get upfield. It's going to lead to more plays behind the line of scrimmage. Now, last season, the Patriots struggled to generate early down pressure. They ranked 31st in pressure rate on 1st and 2nd down. And this is an area where I think Milton Williams can really help them. So from your insight on his game, how will he factor into the patch transition into that type of system? I don't think it's a coincidence.

Starting point is 00:28:10 That's the kind of system the Patriots are going to. And Milton Williams was somebody they were willing to get into a bidding war with the Carolina Panthers for infregency because he is that kind of pin your ears back, let them go attack the quarterback type of player. Not saying he's a one-trick, you know pony But that is his strongest suit like that is what the Eagles liked about him coming out of the draft in 2021

Starting point is 00:28:34 That's like that that really is his strength now I think he is underrated as a run stopper the thing with the Eagles is they also had Jordan Davis for that role So a lot of the times like they had other guys to take care of that. They had Fletcher Cox, they have Jalen Carter. But Milton Williams can be a three down do it all type of player. But yeah, that's what they asked him to do against Kansas City is hey, Jalen Carter is gonna do all of this different stuff. He's gonna take on the responsibilities.

Starting point is 00:29:00 He's gonna take on the double teams. Milton Williams, your job, win the-on-ones go after Patrick Mahomes And he was outside of maybe him and Josh sweat He was probably the best defensive player on that field in a championship win So I think he could be I don't want to say he's you know, Raibel's next Jeffrey Simmons, but he can be that kind of player like that. It's not a coincidence Raible was looking for that kind of guy again He had Simmons in Tennessee and I think he has that vision for Milton Williams as well.

Starting point is 00:29:28 Absolutely and Vrabel is already willing to increase that snap total. He looked at him on the dais on Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro and looked at him and said I hope you're ready to play a little bit more and Milton kind of smiled and shook his head and said absolutely that's why I'm here. You know, you're getting someone that's bought in, and that wants to help this team build something special in New England. And we're years away right now from being able to contend to where the Eagles are. But I think laying the groundwork and having these seedlings now that are going to be planted is something that's going to help this team in the long run. Will we last but certainly not least when it comes to Milton Williams,

Starting point is 00:30:07 he met members of the New England media this Thursday, seems excited to play here. We obviously know about his high motor playing style, we discussed it here, but our listeners would like to know a little bit about the man himself, maybe a little bit more than we've learned in just the last couple of days. As someone who's covered him for the past couple of seasons, what can you tell us about Milton Williams, the teammate, most importantly, the man himself? He's a humble guy and that's the impression that I got through four years of covering Milton Williams. He's humble. I think he's more on the quiet side. Now at the same time, there are a lot of loud personalities on that Eagles roster. You look at in 2024, you had Jaylen Carter, you had Chauncey Gardner Johnson, and Quinya

Starting point is 00:30:49 Mitchell appeared to be a trash talker at the next level, and all the Georgia kids that they brought in these last few years. So Milton Williams at times kind of got, I don't want to say he was disappearing in the background, but I think he prefers it that way. I think he was underrated on the field, but also off the field. It's just like a steady lead by example type of presence. And it'll be interesting to see him grow in a new role. I'm excited to watch Milton Williams be the alpha now to be the number one. Again, it wasn't his fault that he wasn't that guy in Philadelphia, but he was with so many greats, all time greats, young greats.

Starting point is 00:31:24 And it'll be cool to see him maybe take on a more vocal role as a leader on a younger defense. I think there's a lot of things Milton Williams wasn't able to do in Philadelphia that New England sees the vision, his potential in being more with the Patriots. So I think he was a humble guy. He was a really good teammate. Nobody ever said anything bad about him. They loved him in Philadelphia, and he's one of the main reasons they were able to dethrone the

Starting point is 00:31:47 Chiefs and stop the first repeat in NFL history. So I think the Patriots are getting a really good player. That again is ascending. I don't think you should be worried about the one-year wonder. The only reason the Eagles weren't able to pay this guy is because they're going to pay another defensive tackle on Jalen Carter north of 30 million dollars a year and you just can't feasibly pay two players of this position that kind of money when you have the payroll that Philadelphia has right now. Absolutely. Well, I can definitely tell you that New England is glad that Philadelphia was not able to do that. It sent Milton Williams our way. And I know Patriots fans cannot wait to see this guy out on the field. One of the things that struck me from speaking with him on Thursday and getting to know a little bit more about him is he's extremely proud of the Super

Starting point is 00:32:29 Bowl that he won in Philly and his time there. And I think he's using that championship ring coming in here in New England to say, I've been a part of a team that has built stable contender and we've done it the right way. And what we've done in Philly can be done here in New England if it continues to be done the right way. And I think by leading by example, he's going to endear himself not only to Patriots Nation, but each and every member of that locker room. And I think that's where his value is really going to pop and shine from day one. them in council on Milton Williams and helping get to know the new guy. But there is another new guy in New England, freshly signed or at least reported on Friday afternoon. Before I let you go, I just want to get your take on safety Marcus Epps, who obviously has spent the last couple of years with the Las Vegas Raiders starter for that team coming

Starting point is 00:33:21 off of an ACL. Obviously we're hearing good things on the medicals that he'll be ready to go. But I wanted to pick your brain on him just very briefly because I believe he had his best year as a pro in 2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Set career highs with 94 tackles, six pass breakups. He was someone that really contributed a great deal to that Philadelphia secondary. What kind of player are the New England Patriots getting in Marcus Epps? I think Marcus Epps is an underrated player. And as you mentioned, he had a career season in their Super Bowl 57 run that fell just short against Kansas City a couple of years ago.

Starting point is 00:33:56 But Marcus Epps was a really good player and he cashed in a big contract that following season with the Las Vegas Raiders. It was kind of a similar situation with Milton Williams where the Eagles just could not afford Marcus Epps and they were also at the time, I think they were prioritizing certain positions over others. They were investing a lot of money at safety

Starting point is 00:34:14 or linebacker running back. They let both Marcus Epps and Chauncey Garner-Johnson go that year, but Epps was a really good player. He was solid in coverage. He had a nose for turnovers, was really good against the run. Like he was a sound tackler. He was one of the more underrated players in that defense because again there were so many stars on that unit. But Marcus Epps, the guy that also was a big time special teams contributor for Philadelphia, is he one of

Starting point is 00:34:36 the best safeties in football? No. Is he a guy you're going to win because of? No. But I think you can win with Marcus Epps as a starter. And on a cheap cheap contract I think you could do a lot worse than Marcus Epps when they brought him in as a underrated free agent signing in 2019 it didn't take long for him to become a starter a role player at least in Jim Schwartz's defense going from a special teamer to a guy that in the wild card round that year against Seattle he was in coverage against DK Metcalf at the very end of that game so Epps has always been somebody that I think has outplayed his I think potential and his contracts and I think at worst-case scenario

Starting point is 00:35:12 New England's getting a solid special teamer in Marcus Aps, but I think he's a solid starter this league still. Excellent insight from the local experts you'll find only here on the Lockdown Podcast Network folks. experts you'll find only here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, folks. Louis, not only do I consider you a great friend, but on behalf of Patriots Nation, I think we owe the Eagles a debt of gratitude for saving us from an offseason of dynasty talk. It's always a complicated history between these two fan bases. And Mike, it saves the Patriots from, because if the Chiefs win that three-peat, they're seen as maybe the greatest dynasty of all time, right? They did something even New England couldn't do, whereas now I think it's still that

Starting point is 00:35:48 even playing field Mahomes, maybe you can even say is, I wouldn't, but you might have him over Brady and the Goat conversation. Normally the Eagles and Patriots have been rivals, enemies in the past, but I would like to say we're friends at this time. Absolutely. The enemy of your enemy is your friend, right? And I think that's exactly how we come together and you keep your friends close and your enemies closer here on lockdown Patriots. But, uh, Lily is former, not the latter. He is a dear friend. I do appreciate you coming on today to lend your wisdom and counsel on Milton Williams and even on Marcus Epps. Folks in New England Patriots continue to add talent. They will continue to do their best to upgrade their 2025 roster throughout the weekend. We'll continue to monitor the situation and bring you

Starting point is 00:36:29 any of the latest updates right here on the Lockdown Podcast Network. But in the meantime, I want to give a tip of the cap to my good friend, Louis DiBiase. Check him out each and every day on the Lockdown Eagles Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter at DBSL OE anytime you want to hear great phenomenal insight on the Super Bowl champions. Check out Louis podcast. And I also want to thank my good friend Steve Balastrari for joining me earlier today here on Lockdown Patriots, a mainstay for a reason. He is a great friend of the program, but most of all want to thank all of you every dayers, all of you listeners out there that continue to make Lockdown Patriots

Starting point is 00:37:06 a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. On behalf of Willie DiBiase and Steve Balastrari, I'm Mike Debate, reminding all of you to stay safe, to stay well, to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, a great weekend. We'll see you back here again Monday morning on Locked on Patriots.

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