Deshawn Williams role moving forward

[Okeana]

In a Recent article with the Dayton daily news ( http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/sports/bengals-defensive-tackle-williams-a-rare-seasoned-/nrJk4/ ) they discuss Deshawn Williams and some of the events of the last year. I remember really liking Deshawn in the preseason and was surprised when he was cut from the final 53 considering how well he played. What I didn't realize is that instead of taking offers from other teams he decided to stay with the Bengals practice squad and traveled with the team on all the away games. Paulie G also supposedly liked the kid so much he took him under his wing and has continued to help develop him. I haven't heard of many instances of someone choosing to stay with a practice squad instead of signing to a 53 man roster elsewhere.

Considering he has put on even more muscle this last year where do you think Williams fits in with the current roster. Are they planning on having him play a similar role that Gillberry played for our team as a rotational DE/DT who specializes in third downs ?

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

I think if anything, Williams would take Sim's spot on the roster, not fill Gilberry's role. The dude was 295 when he was drafted, so if it put muscle and weight on top of that...

Not sure 6'1, >300 pounds is a 4-3 DE.

Hope whereever he plays he does some impressive things, though. Need to get that rotational strength back, because it's sure not with Hunt or Clake.

[Bilbo Saggins]

The team needs to be renamed the Cincinnati 3-techniques. Two defensive ends, 3 nose tackles, a bunch of 4-3 linebackers, and a ton of 3 techniques. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out in the front 7.

[BURROWorBUST]

Post-Peko era, Billings will rotate with Dean or some other DT (Hardison?) on one side. I can see Williams rotating with Geno on the other side. I'm feeling good about our DTs. I'm more concerned with our DEs. After Carlos and MJ, we have ?s I hope Hunt catches fire this year.

[BengalChris]

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Williams-acts-the-vet-on-D-line/315812fd-9840-4740-8af1-8390c2e5e562

The article above appears to suggest that Williams will be Geno's backup considering Thompson will definitely start the year on the PuP.

No idea who will fill the Gilberry role. Our backup DEs seem to be Hunt and Clarke and that's scary.

[StLucieBengal]

(05-07-2016, 11:16 PM)BengalChris Wrote: http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Williams-acts-the-vet-on-D-line/315812fd-9840-4740-8af1-8390c2e5e562

The article above appears to suggest that Williams will be Geno's backup considering Thompson will definitely start the year on the PuP.

No idea who will fill the Gilberry role. Our backup DEs seem to be Hunt and Clarke and that's scary.

I have a feeling hardison was drafted to take the Gilberry role.  

[Luvnit2]

(05-08-2016, 05:45 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I have a feeling hardison was drafted to take the Gilberry role.  

This is exactly what I think, but I also think Hunt and Clarke should not be dismissed either. Geno did not flourish immediately for us, some guys just take a little more time so I have not given up they can be Gilberry type ends/DT depending on the situation.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-07-2016, 08:58 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think if anything, Williams would take Sim's spot on the roster, not fill Gilberry's role. The dude was 295 when he was drafted, so if it put muscle and weight on top of that...

Not sure 6'1, >300 pounds is a 4-3 DE.

Hope whereever he plays he does some impressive things, though. Need to get that rotational strength back, because it's sure not with Hunt or Clake.

Perhaps not as a full time starter, but with NFL Tackles being so tall, on average, I could see a 6'1" guy have the advantage of getting up and under, and drawing some holding calls.

[Yojimbo]

Hopefully we are using a heavy rotation on the D-line. I think it can look pretty good with 4 DE's and Hardison as the swing guy. It's going to be a tough call on Sims, he's been a real warrior for us, but if Billings shows he can handle the run stopping duties in preseason, he bumps Sims. Thompson on PUP. That leaves Williams as last DT, probably getting the least playing time.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(05-08-2016, 09:18 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: This is exactly what I think, but I also think Hunt and Clarke should not be dismissed either. Geno did not flourish immediately for us, some guys just take a little more time so I have not given up they can be Gilberry type ends/DT depending on the situation.

Umm.... what?  Geno got 3 sacks his rookie year (1 more than Clarke and Hunt's combined career totals in 5 seasons) and then was a Pro Bowler in his 2nd year.... and he was a 4th round pick to Hunt's 2nd round and Clarke's 3rd round. Not sure I see the connection there at all.  

(05-08-2016, 02:49 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Hopefully we are using a heavy rotation on the D-line. I think it can look pretty good with 4 DE's and Hardison as the swing guy. It's going to be a tough call on Sims, he's been a real warrior for us, but if Billings shows he can handle the run stopping duties in preseason, he bumps Sims. Thompson on PUP. That leaves Williams as last DT, probably getting the least playing time.

At DT maybe, but not DE. When they did the rotation last year, there were times when the DL did nothing and the offenses looked suddenly much better. Then you look at the DL and it was like Hunt, Sims, Thompson, Gilberry all on the field at the same time and you just have to go "Oh, that's why."  After Dunlap and MJ, there's really not much there at DE right now.

[*jason*]

(05-08-2016, 03:56 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Umm.... what?  Geno got 3 sacks his rookie year (1 more than Clarke and Hunt's combined career totals in 5 seasons) and then was a Pro Bowler in his 2nd year.... and he was a 4th round pick to Hunt's 2nd round and Clarke's 3rd round. Not sure I see the connection there at all.  




At DT maybe, but not DE. When they did the rotation last year, there were times when the DL did nothing and the offenses looked suddenly much better. Then you look at the DL and it was like Hunt, Sims, Thompson, Gilberry all on the field at the same time and you just have to go "Oh, that's why."  After Dunlap and MJ, there's really not much there at DE right now.

Yeah... Geno stood out in the HOF game that season. I thought he was great from the get go.

[jj22]

Hardison weighed 315 coming out, I can't imagine him taking Gilberry's role. But that sounds like the plan.

Williams will be someone to keep an eye on again this preseason.

[fredtoast]

(05-08-2016, 10:45 PM)jj22 Wrote: Hardison weighed 315 coming out, I can't imagine him taking Gilberry's role. But that sounds like the plan.

I don't understand this either.  Hardison needs to concentrate on being a full time DT.

Only way he should be a DE is if we give a 3 front look.

[Crowe]

It's time the Bengals start playing their best/most athletic players and let underwhelming vets go. While I don't think it will happen, I'd love to see the DT rotation of Atkins/Billings/Hardison/Williams with Hardison taking over Gilberry's role. I do think that Peko will be the starter, but the team needs to start moving on from players of his caliber at this stage in their careers. Sims is mediocre and played in 8 games last year and Thompson will start on the PUP. Put Dean on the PS for now and let him develop into our 5th DT, the same needs to be done with the LB core and WR core as well.

[fredtoast]

I have always thought Williams got a little too much love around here for a guy who was released and not signed by any other teams last year.  I don't know how much truth there is to other teams offering him a shot at the 53 man roster; that is a lot of money, tenure, and opportunity for a rookie to pass up.  But the fact that they let him travel to all the road games shows that the Bengals do feel he is a little more special than just the average PS guy.

I still need to see more form him before I get excited about him making the roster this year, but I also never write a guy off after just his rookie year.  It is possible for a player to make huge strides from his rookie year to his second season.

[Luvnit2]

(05-09-2016, 11:20 AM)fredtoast Wrote: I have always thought Williams got a little too much love around here for a guy who was released and not signed by any other teams last year.  I don't know how much truth there is to other teams offering him a shot at the 53 man roster; that is a lot of money, tenure, and opportunity for a rookie to pass up.  But the fact that they let him travel to all the road games shows that the Bengals do feel he is a little more special than just the average PS guy.

I still need to see more form him before I get excited about him making the roster this year, but I also never write a guy off after just his rookie year.  It is possible for a player to make huge strides from his rookie year to his second season.

I agree Fred

I hope he becomes a stud. My issue is I see some get way too excited when a player shows he can beat 3rd and 4th string guys and players who get cut in the pre-season. Yes he was dominant at times in preseason, but against non starters.

[XenoMorph]

(05-07-2016, 08:47 PM)Okeana Wrote: In a Recent article with the Dayton daily news ( http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/sports/bengals-defensive-tackle-williams-a-rare-seasoned-/nrJk4/ ) they discuss Deshawn Williams and some of the events of the last year. I remember really liking Deshawn in the preseason and was surprised when he was cut from the final 53 considering how well he played. What I didn't realize is that instead of taking offers from other teams he decided to stay with the Bengals practice squad and traveled with the team on all the away games. Paulie G also supposedly liked the kid so much he took him under his wing and has continued to help develop him. I haven't heard of many instances of someone choosing to stay with a practice squad instead of signing to a 53 man roster elsewhere.

Considering he has put on even more muscle this last year where do you think Williams fits in with the current roster. Are they planning on having him play a similar role that Gillberry played for our team as a rotational DE/DT who specializes in third downs ?

if on the active 45 i say he probly spells geno when he needs a rest... or joins him on pass rushing downs.

[GreenCornBengal]

(05-09-2016, 12:51 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I agree Fred

I hope he becomes a stud. My issue is I see some get way too excited when a player shows he can beat 3rd and 4th string guys and players who get cut in the pre-season. Yes he was dominant at times in preseason, but against non starters.

I agree with both you guys. Not understanding all the love for this guy. Another preseason hero who will somehow step in and be a stud in the eyes of the fans. When he wasn't picked up by any other team last year, I think we learned how much value Deshawn Williams really has.

[Luvnit2]

(05-08-2016, 03:56 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote:
Umm.... what?  Geno got 3 sacks his rookie year (1 more than Clarke and Hunt's combined career totals in 5 seasons) and then was a Pro Bowler in his 2nd year.... and he was a 4th round pick to Hunt's 2nd round and Clarke's 3rd round. Not sure I see the connection there at all.  

Ty for the clarification.
My bad, I blame it on old age. For some reason, I thought he did not start his rookie year.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(05-09-2016, 04:01 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Ty for the clarification.
My bad, I blame it on old age. For some reason, I thought he did not start his rookie year.

No problem "Old Timer", lol, just was confused at what you were saying.

He didn't start his rookie season (1 game, but that's not "starting") but he was in the rotation, much like Dunlap in his rookie season. His rookie season was basically Hunt and Clarke's combined career stats, and then was a Pro Bowler the next year. So Geno was pretty good his rookie year, and then immediately went to great his second year. He actually led NFL DTs in sacks his second year, I believe.