NFL Free-Agent Rumors: Mario Williams Is Exactly What Patriots Need

If you want the Super Bowl, you have to be willing to pay for it. The New England Patriots must do what they can to secure Mario Williams for their lackluster defense. 

ESPN's Mike Sando speculates on free agent to be Mario Williams and whether the Patriots will make a play on the defensive stalwart. Sando issues the following on Williams: 

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Jacksonville has a chance and New England will be really involved. 

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CSNNE's Tom Curran took that ball and ran with it, discussing the pros and cons of the Patriots making a move on a player they seem to be very interested in. 

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He's a 27-year-old that checks in at 6-6, 285 pounds. He's a 4-3 defensive end that played outside linebacker for the Texans when they made the switch to 3-4. He's got 53 sacks in 82 career games. He's a solid character guy.

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You can chalk that up to the pro pile that should be far more heavy than anything you can fit in with the cons of a Williams' signing. 

That would be to disregard the cost and the manner this franchise has dealt with high-priced talent before. 

Curran writes: 

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Since the Patriots got burned with the Adalius Thomas signing they've been skittish about going in deep for free agents. Can't imagine Leigh Bodden's performance after getting paid makes them that much more anxious either.

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He also has two very good points about Williams' durability and the interest the Patriots once had in Julius Peppers.

They looked at him only to balk at his asking price, and that is what Curran sees happening here. 

That would be wrong in this case. 

I will take Williams' injuries under advisement and say he still changes the very nature of a defense with his presence. 

New England will no doubt need to correct a secondary that was among the worst in football, but Williams can put pressure on the pocket like no other Patriots player can right now. 

He is an amazing leader on and off the field and will shape New England's defense for the better. You aren't buying one guy, but a game changer that can guarantee the Patriots defense is far more difficult to deal with in 2012. 

Consider the Patriots nearly won the Super Bowl with a second-rate defense and you can see how important a player like Williams becomes. 

There are downsides to signing a player like Williams, and he is certainly a gamble in the durability department. 

However, it's a calculated risk that can give you no less than the Super Bowl. 

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