The New England Patriots handed out the biggest contract in NFL free agency earlier this month, signing defensive tackle Milton Williams to a four-year, $104 million deal.

Williams was widely viewed as the best defensive lineman available, and the Patriots made sure they landed him to fill a massive need.

However, before signing with New England, Williams almost went elsewhere, and he detailed the wild free-agent flurry during a recent appearance on NFL Network, describing that the Pats wanted him more than anyone else.

Remember: initial reports had Williams going to the Carolina Panthers, who, like the Patriots, were also in dire need of a pass-rushing threat. But that was when they swooped in.

But did New England make a mistake here? Were the Pats a bit too eager?

Many felt that the Patriots overpaid for Williams, so the fact that Carolina did not want to increase its own offer does not come as much of a surprise. The Panthers then pivoted and signed fellow defensive tackle Bobby Brown to a three-year, $21 million pact. Much more manageable for sure.

Obviously, Williams is considered an impact player. The same cannot be said for Brown, who is certainly not a household name and is really just a run stuffer and a space filler (a good one, though). Williams has a dominant Super Bowl performance to his name, which definitely helped increase his price tag on the open market.

You just have to wonder if New England paid a bit too much for one breakout performance and if Carolina had the right idea by going with a much cheaper option.

The Pats had tons of cap space heading into free agency, so it’s not like they didn’t have the money to spend. That’s understandable, but whether or not they spent it wisely is the question.

We’ll see if Williams can live up to his lofty expectations in Foxborough.