Darious Williams isn’t going anywhere

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PFF shares incredible stat about Rams CB Darious Williams

Before the 2020 season started, it wasn’t abundantly clear who the starters in the Rams’ secondary would be. Darious Williams was a promising young player, but he wasn’t a lock to start at cornerback alongside Jalen Ramsey.

But based on what he showed at the end of 2019 and in training camp, the Rams were convinced he could play. And boy, were they right.

Williams had a phenomenal 2020 season, allowing just 39 receptions in 72 targets with four interceptions and two touchdowns given up. He allowed only 480 yards in 16 games, an average of 30 per week.

According to Pro Football Focus, Williams hasn’t allowed more than 70 yards receiving in a single game since he came into the NFL in 2018. That’s an incredible stat, even if he didn’t become a full-time starter until this past season.


View: https://twitter.com/pff/status/1360363580093325313?s=21


Williams will be a restricted free agent in March and while he’s unlikely to leave, the Rams will need to make sure he doesn’t by using either the first- or second-round tender. At least then, if a team signs him to an offer sheet and they don’t match it, they will recoup a first- or second-round pick in return.

With Troy Hill also being a free agent, the Rams have to do whatever they can to retain No. 31 in the secondary.
 

Corbin

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1st round tender. And we still may lose him...
Man I wonder what team would tender him? And then we’d be f’d because I’m sure if a team does we won’t match.

Colts, Jets, Pats? Maybe the Jags?
 

Malibu

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I am worried about DWill. Even with a 1st round tender he maybe gone. Most point out it is rare for teams to give up 1sts for a player but in Williams case this is different.

Teams drafting in the bottom quarter might think an ascending DB is worth the 1st based on the pick they would be getting. By that point in the draft the top 3 college dbs prospects are off the board so at best case if a team needs a DB it makes a lot of sense to give up their 1st because they already insure their success and the prospect they would be drafting is 50/50 at best. And still may not be as good as DWill.

Lastly most teams that don't won't to give up a 1st is because the tagged player is way too expensive. In the case of DWill he wont be wanting 13-15m a year. So he compared to other 1st round tags is cheap.

The Rams MUST put a 1st round tag on him period! Do not get cute with a second round tag to save a million dollars roughly that is suicide. Pay the 4m bump it will be totally worth it.

Lastly look at it from the Rams perspective, we maybe losing 2 starting DBs if someone makes a monster offer to DWill. Even if we get a 1st what is that worth not the best DB that's for sure maybe the best C or G or a real good ILB, OLB but we are short at Cornerback now. I would want DWill 100 out of 100 times unless a top 10 pick.

Problem is every team knows he is a cheap and massive upgrade even giving their 1st away. Also our Defensive coaches are sprinkled around the league now - Barry, Pleasant, Staley etc not to mention couple on Offense. So he will not sneak up on anyone - Rams do the right thing and give a first round tender to DWill.
 

dieterbrock

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I dont understand why they would use the 2nd round tender instead of the 1st rounder., unless they feel they can just live without him at any price.
They only "save" a million or so by choosing the 2nd round over the 1st, *IF* no team signs him to an offer sheet.
What's the likelihood of that?
As a 2nd round tender, I'd think its pretty unlikely, and it will surely cost more than the 4+ mill the 1st RT will cost.
 

Jacobarch

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Yeah when it's all said and done he might become one of the best in the league. I at least hope we can hang on to him for one more session
 

Flatlyner

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Using a 1st Round tender is a no brainer and I'd be shocked and pissed if they didn't. They can and should find the money for our biggest playmaker in the secondary. Then I'd like to lock him up for a few more years please.
 

JonRam99

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A first round pick? he gone. Can you imagine trading our 1st round picks away for Ramsey & Stafford only to get one of them back because we developed a talent on our roster?
Snead will prolly turn that 1st rounder we get from D.Will into two 2nd rounders or something.
Value. Gotta take it.
I think we've got enough FS/CB types on the roster to fill in until we find his replacement, maybe in Long or Hill.
 

Picked4td

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i cant imagine a team spending a 1st round pick and a big contract on a 27 yr old, with one real good season under his belt. especially when the last 2 late blooming cbs to get big deals didnt really work out (norman and bouye). i htink we will be just fine
 

BriansRams

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On November 20, 2020, before D.W. REALLY broke out ... BriansRams predicted this:


#31 --- D. Williams this time next year .... will be equally as good and valuable as J. Ramsey.
He doesn't posses the same ideal physical attributes ... but his football smarts and heart will put him on the same level of importance to the team, as J. Ramsey.



... a few of you scoffed and disagreed: https://ramsondemand.com/threads/my-prediction-from-observation.62768/

... but let's continue this conversation on 11/20/2021
 

FaulkSF

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If any team poaches DWill with a first round tender it could possibly be the Jags with our original pick or the Titans.

2nd round, could be any team including in the top half of the second round.
 

BonifayRam

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Rams 2021 free agency preview: Darious Williams isn’t going anywhere (yahoo.com)
Darious Williams isn’t going anywhere
Cameron DaSilva
Mon, February 22, 2021
1614101709338.png

Darious Williams went into the 2020 season as a lesser-known player for the Rams. He hadn’t been a true starter before, but Los Angeles was relying on him to step up in the secondary alongside Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill.

He did more than step up, though. He put together a Pro Bowl-worthy season, breaking out in a big way as one of the top cornerbacks in football. He dominated as a starter for the Rams this past season and will now become a restricted free agent.

Will Los Angeles try to work out a long-term deal? Or will the team force Williams to prove himself again with a one-year tender?
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  • 44 tackles (1 for a loss)
  • 4 interceptions
  • 14 pass breakups
  • 54.2% completion rate allowed
  • 480 yards allowed
  • PFF grade: 80.0
Analysis
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Everyone knows the names Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald, as well as the impact they had on the Rams defense last season, but Williams was one of the top defenders in Los Angeles, too. He picked off four passes in the regular season and had a pick-six against the Seahawks in the wild-card round, breaking up a total of 16 passes in the regular season and playoffs combined.

Williams wasn’t technically the Rams’ No. 2 cornerback, playing the third-most snaps at the position behind Ramsey and Troy Hill, but he was undoubtedly their second-best corner last season. When quarterbacks targeted him, he often made plays on the ball, whether it was diving breakups or interceptions. He made highlight after highlight throughout the season, with each interception almost seeming better than the last. This pick against the Seahawks was especially good, diving to pick it off in front of the tight end.


View: https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1328129165690716161

But no play was more impactful than his pick-six against Seattle in the playoffs, which gave the Rams a 10-point cushion in the first half.


View: https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1348039413943554050

Williams is at his best when he’s playing off coverage and reading the quarterback. He has the instincts and short-area quickness to read routes and break on the ball, which allows him to create turnovers and impactful plays. After the pick-six against Seattle, Williams told reporters that he saw the Seahawks run that screen pass “100 times on film.” So he puts in the work during the week, too.

Positional need: High
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Williams and Hill will both be free agents, though Williams will, fortunately, be a restricted free agent, which makes it much easier to retain him. David Long Jr. should get a chance to play at some point, being a former third-round pick, but he’s hardly a proven player at cornerback for the Rams.

The Rams need help at this position if they can't retain one of Hill or Williams. And in today’s NFL, you can never have too many defensive backs. The need for a cornerback lowers a bit if they can re-sign Williams, because at the very least, they’ll have Williams and Ramsey back as their starters in 2021.

Prediction: Receives 1st-round RFA tender
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The Rams aren’t going to let Williams get away. They have the added benefit of being able to tender him as an RFA, which is an affordable and easy way to keep him in a Rams uniform. According to Over The Cap, the first-round tender is projected to be worth $4.766 million, which is slightly more than the second-round tender ($3.384 million).

If the Rams use the first-round tender and they don’t match an offer sheet that he receives, they’ll get a first-round pick in return. That’s not a bad option, but the team would likely prefer to keep him after the season he had in 2020. I think they’ll give him a first-round tender at $4.766 million to all but ensure he returns – and after tendering him, they can try to work out a long-term
 

Flatlyner

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I do sincerely love D-Will, however, it's still a definite possibility that someone will give up that 1st rounder for him and make him an offer that we cannot match. With that in mind, is there a corner in the latter first round that peaks anyones interest? Maybe Samuel Jr? Horn? I don't know heck of a lot about them currently, but I assume some of you may. Could even pivot and take and Edge or Center here and pick up a CB in the 2nd.

At the very least, we would have a cost controlled young player for up to 5 years.
 

Ballhawk

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I don't want to lose D Will but if we do, and then get a first round pick, we could draft Mizzou's Nick Bolton and fix our inside linebacker problems.
 

BonifayRam

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I certainly not foresee that scenario. Certainly what DW's new agent will want in a new contract will have a major barring if the Rams can sign DW to a long-term contract. There is a very good chance that DW's future plan will price himself right out of LA too.

So if the team wants to give up a 1st round pick for DW this season, the position of this first-round selection will carry much weight in the Rams decision on the matching offer.
I don't want to lose D Will but if we do, and then get a 1st rd. pick, we could draft Mizzou's Nick Bolton and fix our inside linebacker problems.
I do not see any major problems or concerns with our inside LB'ing cadre to the point of utilizing a 1st rd selection on this unit. Rams have been planing for Micah Kiser to be the starting MLB'er for the last seasons so I see no reason to think that a healthy Kiser would still not be the plan in 2021. Whats changed?

On top of that MLB Troy Reeder has proven during the 2020 season to be a legit NFL MLB'er filling in for two seasons for the injured Kiser. Reeder only started 7 gms in 2020 but in those 7 gms, he has 53 tackles & 3 sacks!

Rams also have last year's starting ILB'er Kenny Young returning plus the late 2019 flashing star & the initial starting 2020 ILB'er Travin Howard coming back from injury. So with two former starting ILB'er returning to the ILB'ing unit along with the two starters who carried the Rams into 2 playoff games, additionally 2 younger ILB'ers entering their second season with the Rams Christian Rozeboom & Moncrief makes this unit look pretty good.

If the Rams have both Troy Hill & Darious Williams depart the CB unit the ILB'ing unit will look outstanding when compared. I am sure Snead will not go ILB'er over a possible starting corner in the draft.
 

Malibu

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If I was any team drafting at #15 or later I would rather give up a 1st round pick for a budding superstar that will be relatively cheap vs a maybe 1st rounder. 50 % of 1sts are busts and I am sure that figure is higher if you only looked at the back half of the 1st round.
 

So Ram

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I don't want to lose D Will but if we do, and then get a first round pick, we could draft Mizzou's Nick Bolton and fix our inside linebacker problems.
I think an outside pass rusher would be better! If not a Top WR depending value & how the draft is playing out.I think Les Snead plays the Draft like a chess board.
I also don’t see a team being afraid to sign him to a long term contract for only a 1st rd pick.