Daryl Williams is a talented right tackle who has succeeded with smarts and strength over sheer athleticism. Williams’ true value is as a run blocker because he can dominate opponents with natural power and textbook blocking technique. One of the attractions to signing him in free agency is his versatility as most teams project Williams to finish his NFL career at the guard position.
Williams was sidelined with a dislocated patella tendon all last season, which could curtail teams from getting into an absolute bidding war for his services. Williams’ injury troubles began with an MCL sprain four days into training camp before sustaining the season-ending knee injury on the first weekend of the regular season. However, there is no reason to believe that he cannot come back and play to his full potential in 2019.
Daryl Williams 2019 NFL Free Agent Profile
Despite missing the entire 2018 season due to injury, it’s highly unlikely that Williams will give his potential suitors a discount as he’s considered one of the top right tackles on the open market this offseason. Pro Football Focus graded him 86.2 out of a scale of 100 and ranked him the eighth best offensive linemen following the 2017 season. The projection of his next contract could be in the range of $8 million per season.
Who wouldn’t want an offensive lineman that is very physical coming off the line of scrimmage, often driving an opponent far away from the ball carrier. Sure, Williams has trouble with speed rushers as he lacks the necessary quickness to neutralize and keep them away from the quarterback. But Williams makes up for this deficiency by using his on-field intelligence to quickly recognize delayed blitzes or sophisticated interior line pass-rushing schemes, which allows him to negate their penetration into the pocket on obvious passing downs.
Possible Fits
The Carolina Panthers have a tough decision to make with Williams as they must determine if it’s financially feasible to keep him in the fold. If not, then he becomes one of the hottest commodities on the 2019 free agent market. His departure will cause great harm to the Panthers’ hope of keeping some form of continuity on their offensive line. However, the retirement of Ryan Kalil has open salary cap space for the Panthers to become more aggressive in keeping Williams long-term in Carolina.
One of the teams that should have a vested interest in Williams if he goes on the open market is the New York Giants. The right tackle position on their starting offensive line needs an immediate upgrade as Chad Wheeler is a serviceable backup player but his talent level doesn’t constitute a starting role. Giants general manager Dave Gettleman is very familiar with Williams as he drafted him in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft during his tenure with the Panthers.
The Arizona Cardinals have plenty of holes on their roster, but the biggest area of need is on the offensive line. The unit suffered through numerous injuries that limited any chance of developing chemistry on the football field. Instead, the line struggled mightily to protect rookie quarterback, Josh Rosen, as they gave up 52 sacks on the season. New Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is implementing an explosive offensive system that emphasizes on keeping the quarterback upright to make plays. Signing Williams would be the first move towards rebuilding their O-line.
Last Word on Daryl Williams Free Agency
One of the least-publicized aspects of Williams is his leadership skills as it’s off-the-charts. Oftentimes, he is sharing his own struggles into becoming a quality football player with young offensive linemen, especially with those who are struggling to adapt to the pro game. It’s all about learning the art of practicing and maintaining that level of play on Sundays. Plus, Williams turns 27 this August, which allows him to become a guiding voice inside the locker room for many seasons to come. This aspect alone makes Williams attractive addition to franchises searching for a bona fide team leader.
