Insider suggests Patriots superstar was not who the team initially wanted

"After five years of less than mediocre play and offseasons spent not signing or trading for players the roster desperately needed, Mike Vrabel walked into the New England Patriots and knew it was time to turn things around. That prompted the new regime to sign some big-name players, many of whom were the most desirable at their position, most notably defensive tackle Milton Williams."

"Because this was the first game without him, he mentioned the Patriots almost didn't sign him because they were dead set on pursuing WR Tee Higgins. "Mike Vrabel uses this word a lot: Pivot. The Patriots' pivot in this case was not to [Chris] Godwin or to [Stefon] Diggs, it was actually to Milton Williams. And with the money that they freed up - that they would have perhaps given to Tee Higgins - they went the extra mile to go get Milton Williams.""

Mike Vrabel took over the Patriots after five years of subpar play and offseasons that failed to fill roster holes. The new regime signed several high-profile players to revamp the team. Defensive tackle Milton Williams emerged as a top acquisition after a strong start with the Eagles and a standout Super Bowl performance. New England secured Williams away from the Carolina Panthers with the largest contract in franchise history. Williams has become one of the Patriots' best players this season and a core part of the defense. The team initially prioritized pursuing wide receiver Tee Higgins but pivoted to invest the available money in Williams.

Read at Musket Fire