NFL free agency isn't truly free agency without players getting overpaid. Let's dive into which three players got the most overpaid. Now yes, the players who signed these deals are absolutely ecstatic, but that does not mean they will live up to the deal.
It's a tale as old as time, really, as NFL teams will never not overpay for players. Whether it ends up being a tenure plagued by injuries, or the player simply doesn't play that well, there will always be free agents who sign for way more than they should have gotten.
The 2025 free agency period was no different. Let's dive into three players who got severely overpaid.
2025 NFL Free Agency: 3 players who just got severely overpaid
Milton Williams, DT, four years, $104 million
I'm afraid the New England Patriots overpaid for Milton Williams simply because they had a ton of money to spend. Don't get me wrong, Williams is a good player and had a nice year, but he was only able to amass five sacks, 10 QB hits, and 24 total tackles with the Eagles in 2024.
He did seem to play quite well in the postseason and absolutely made his presence felt in the Super Bowl. Could this have been an example of a player getting a very beneficial recency-bias bump? I am not sure Williams is worth close to $26 million per year. We'll see if the Patriots made the right move here. They may have overpayd big-time for Milton Williams.
Dan Moore, LT, four years, $82 million
Dan Moore has only missed two starts across his four-year NFL career, but he's kind of a hit-or-miss player, but was able to score an insanely rich deal worth $82 million with the Tennessee Titans. According to PFF, Dan Moore had a 67.2 grade in 2024, which ranked as 46th among 141 qualified tackles.
PFF also credited him with 12 sacks allowed and five penalties. Overall, it was a pretty shaky year for Dan Moore, but I guess the Titans could be paying for a higher floor at the LT position and the hope that he could figure something out for the long-term in Tennessee.
Will Fries, OG, five years, $87,720,000
Will Fries started all 17 games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 but was only able to suit up for five in 2024. He was somehow able to land a five-year deal worth nearly $90 million. In his four years in the NFL, Fries started 31 of 41 games and is now on the Minnesota Vikings.
This does feel like an extremely high amount for a guard who hardly played in 2024. PFF did grade him out as the fourth-best guard in the NFL during his short time on the field in 2024, so it's clear that Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is hoping that Fries can simply continue what he started last offseason.
A deal worth over $17.5 million per year feels a bit steep for a guard of Fries' caliber and with his recent injury history.