Mario Williams Rumors: Patriots or Bills, Who Fits Better for Super Mario?

Arguably the best defensive player expected to hit the market, Mario Williams is a hot commodity and we can't expect him to be on the market very long.

That said, with two AFC East teams interested, which is the better fit for Williams? Well, let's break each down and decide.

New England Patriots

According to Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald, the New England Patriots appear to be interested in Mario Williams:

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Don’t be surprised if the most sought-after free agent on the market — Mario Williams — is on the Pats’ list. They may not sign the dynamic pass-rusher from the Texans, but the belief is they will inquire if Houston doesn’t sign him at the last minute.

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Well, we're now into the 2012 NFL free agent world and the Patriots would get a major boost to Bill Belichick's defense with Williams.

Last season, the Patriots ranked No. 31 against the pass and No. 17 against the rush, so having that outside presence will surely improve the perimeter for Belichick and Co. And, although the Pats recorded 40 sacks and 23 interceptions in the regular season, you can't live off turnovers and sacks.

Shutting down ground games and forcing the quarterback to hold the ball is arguably more important.

Put Williams on the outside and the run defense becomes virtually impenetrable and the pass rush only becomes that much more dangerous. Which will also assist the pass defense in not having to cover for long.

Plus, the Pats are legit Super Bowl contenders, so clearly Williams has to consider them, right?

Or will he sign sooner than later?

Buffalo Bills

He may sign sooner than later, and the Buffalo Bills may be that franchise. According to the Bills official twitter page, Williams landed in Buffalo on Tuesday.

Running a 3-4 defensive front in 2011, Buffalo recorded just 29 sacks and ranked No. 28 against the run, allowing almost 140 rushing yards per game.

Much like the Pats, though, the Bills thrived off turnovers by forcing 17 fumbles and recording 20 interceptions.

Provided that Williams becomes a Bill, we'll definitely see an increase in sacks totals and there will be less pressure on the pass defense. Also, applying pressure on Tom Brady in New England is imperative to knock off the Pats.

With defensive tackle Marcell Dareus doing work on the interior, both he and Williams will complement one another very well in Buffalo's front seven. Include their No. 10 overall draft choice and the Bills can make some big strides throughout the offseason.

Better Fit?

Two long time AFC East rivals interested in the NFL's best defensive free agent, there's no doubt that Williams fits well for either franchise.

That said, it comes down to who is a better fit for Williams. Here, it obviously comes down to an offer as well as being a Super Bowl contender.

The Bills are in a better salary cap situation and if Williams turns Buffalo into Super Bowl contenders, his legacy will simply be that much better. In New England, though, Williams could potentially win a Super Bowl next season, but he may not get nearly as attractive of an offer.

In addition, New England also has two first-round draft picks, so missing out on Williams isn't going to damage Belichick's defense in the long run. Therefore, Buffalo is the better fit for Williams.

He has a better opportunity to make himself a legend, earn more cash and be their best defensive player since Bruce Smith. 

John Rozum on Twitter.