How Much Does Leonard Williams Have Left in the Tank?
Leonard Williams, Defensive End
Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 302 pounds
2022 stats: GP 12 / GS 12: 45 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 TD.
New York Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams had his least-effective season with the Giants. The ridiculously high number of snaps this 29-year-old defender has been asked to take throughout the years seemed to have finally caught up with him, as bumps and bruises cost him his first NFL games last year.
There were career-low numbers across the board for this proud warrior, who became a liability late in the year against the run thanks to that neck thing. To his credit, however, Williams gutted things out and played over 90 percent of the defensive snaps in the two playoff games. He was a presence on the pass rush but could not be found against the run, previously a strength of his.
That said, Williams was still the team’s second-best player in the pit. And now that the team has added some additional veteran talent to upgrade the unit and allow for Williams to have a more normal workload, the hope is that he'll shake off last season's bumpy road and get back to being the player he's shown himself to be in the past.
Best Case Scenario
Williams has been a durable warrior since coming to the Giant, a man who has taken pride in being there for every game. So when his body finally gave out on him last year, it was a tough pill to swallow.
That said, Williams is healthy and energized. He loves playing alongside Dexter Lawrence in Wink Martindale's defense, and he seems to be on a mission t get back to his more productive self, such as what he showed in 2021 with a career-high 81 tackles to go along with 6.5 sacks.
Worst Case Scenario
Williams declared himself healthy and free of the neck ailment that cut into last season. But if the neck issue or any other issue should pop up again and cause him to miss any time, then it's certainly fair to wonder if the upcoming season will be his last with the Giants.
What to Expect in 2023
Williams is in the final year of his contract, a year in which, thanks to several restructures, he'll count for a whopping $32 million against the team's salary cap. That makes the upcoming year a critical one for him, as if injuries continue to take a toll on him, the odds of the Giants shelling out big money to retain him drop significantly.
Williams remains one of this defense’s leaders, and now that he has help that will allow him to take a breather, he should be able to get back to being more productive. But even if he does, the Giants will need to decide if it's worth a sizeable contract to retain a player who, by 2024, will turn 30 when the team has other young talents whose contracts are coming up for renewal.
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