New York Giants Training Camp Preview - DL Leonard Williams

After making a simple switch in how they deployed Leonard Williams on defense, suddenly the Giants had themselves the player everyone anticipated Williams could be when he was drafted as a top-10 pick.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Jul 22, 2021 10:00 AM EDT

Sometimes it's good that the New York Giants don't listen to outside critics regarding roster decisions.

A perfect example of such is defensive lineman Leonard Williams, whom the Giants traded a third- and conditional fifth-round pick to the Jets for a guy many thought was not only overrated but who could also probably have been had in free agency.

It didn't help matters that in 2019, Williams only produced 16 quarterback hits and a half-sack, plus he was reportedly looking for a big payday.

But Gettleman stuck to his plan, which was to see what kind of player and person Williams was--that latter part being significant for a locker room that had been duped before into thinking it was getting quality character only to find out otherwise.

After the eight-game "audition," the Giants felt comfortable entering into a long-term deal with Williams, though unfortunately, it never came to fruition before the 2020 season.

Ah, but there was a reason for that as well. The Giants, in having swept out the Pat Shurmur coaching staff for a completely new group, likely wanted to see how new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham would deploy Williams in his defense (which we'll get to in a moment).

By playing up to Williams' strengths in the defensive formation (hey, what a novel idea!), the Giants got an 11.5 sack, 30 quarterback-hit season out of a player for whom suddenly trading a third-and conditional fifth-round pick seems like a small price to pay.

Oh, and the Giants and Williams did finally agree on a new long term contract (which we'll also get to in a minute)--the timing of which enabled them not to have to surrender a fourth-round pick to the Jets since the condition attached to the fifth-round pick in the original trade terms was for the Giants to sign Williams to a long-term deal before the start of 2020 free agency.

In retrospect, the Williams acquisition and subsequent handling of his situation, possibly due to having learned a lesson after overspending for Olivier Vernon a few years back, did not come close to getting a solid return on their investment.

In the meantime, Williams has become a key cog in the Giants' defense, a player who can play the run and rush the passer. Those are the kinds of defenders you don't simply let walk away if you're trying to build something special within your franchise.

What He Brings

Versatility--there's that word again. Williams’ versatility also allows him to line up anywhere along the line of scrimmage and be effective, thanks to that size-athleticism-technique combo.

That combo also proved to be a bit of a curse for Williams, at least earlier in his career. When a player is versatile, there can sometimes be a temptation to over-rely on playing him at a spot needed the most rather than at the best fit for his talents and circumstances.

That's not to say that Williams isn't capable of playing multiple positions--he can do so, and he did so last year for Patrick Graham's defense. However, rather than have Williams play most of his snaps at one spot, Graham moved him around, giving him more snaps at the right- and left outside ends and cutting back some on his snaps inside.

In 2019, Williams played 729 defensive snaps, 347 of which were played at defensive right tackle. Playing Williams, who is a better fit as a 5-technique, inside that much appeared to stunt his development and fail to take advantage of those things he does exceptionally well.

In 2020, Williams, who played more of the 5-technique role (and who also learned much about the craft through an off-season collaboration with former Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour, himself a top 5-technique back in the day) logged 800 defensive snaps, seeing just 267 of those at right defensive tackle and 395 snaps at end.

Simply put, giving Williams the space he needs to attack at the 5-technique has benefitted him tremendously. In a 3-technique role, he often struggled in condensed spaces and where his length and athleticism went to waste.

Want something specific to like about his technique--and there are many things to like. How about his effective hand punch and arm extension that keeps blockers away from his body, allowing him to get free and create pressure.

And how about his durability? Williams has played in six NFL seasons and only had to miss one game over that period.

Two-way players like Williams don't grow on trees, which is why the Giants made the no-brainer decision to prioritize re-signing Williams this off-season. That he's only 27 years old at the moment would hopefully suggest he has a lot of good football still to play for the Giants.

His Contract

Williams often said that it wasn't about money, but at the end of the day, he landed himself a hefty contract that averaged $21 million per season, tying him with DeForest Buckner for second-highest average annual salary behind Aaron Donald, and which should keep him financially comfortable for the rest of his life.

His three-year, $63 million deal comes with a $22.5 million signing bonus and $45 million in guaranteed money, that money coming in the first two years of the contract. This year, he'll only count for $11 million against the cap.

The nice thing about Williams's contract is the Giants set it up to where if Williams is still playing at a high enough level by the third year of the deal, they can seek an extension while potentially helping their 2023 cap picture.

Roster Projection/Expectations

The Giants coaches might say that there is competition across the board at every position, but it's safe to say that Williams is in no danger of losing any snaps this year, barring injury, of course.

Find all our training camp player previews in one spot. New profiles are added daily until we get to the end of the roster.