05-17-2016, 04:15 PM
(05-17-2016, 04:06 PM)BobJones4980 Wrote: Reggie Nelson is 32 years old and didn't wanna take the deal we offered him which from reports was more than fair.
As for TJ Ward and Mike Mitchell, both of these guys are average players. Average players get the kind of contracts Shawn Williams just got, while he has done very little the coaches who have seen him in practice and how well he has done while on the field feel that it was worth the risk.
The odds of Shawn Williams being an average to above average player are probably higher than him being terrible from what we have seen so if he ends up being average its a solid contract, if he is above average the contract is great value and if he is terrible then he only has 4 mil guaranteed and would be easy to move on from.
People keep bringing up Derron Smith, yea we all loved the pick when it was made and even with some success in later rounds the last couple years it is crazy to depend on a 6th round pick to step up. Everybody saying we should have waited a year because Smith could step up, yea he could and that would be great for depth but what if he didn't and Shawn Williams steps into Nelson's role and plays incredible? Then we have to try and get Williams signed to a decent contract while also dealing with Zeitler, Whit, Kirk and Gio.
Yea this is a bit of a risk but its a safer risk than waiting until next off-season where a big season by Williams could have cost us another player or Williams himself. Now we have him locked up with very little guaranteed and a contract that would be fair for a solid Safety.
The fact that the team continued to go after Nelson even after signing Ioloka should tell you something about their feelings towards Williams. If they were really that sold on him, they would have simply let Nelson walk away.
