Finding A Role For Bills CB Aaron Williams

Heading into the 2011 NFL Draft, we knew that the Buffalo Bills' main focus defensively would be to improve their league-worst run defense. The team took a stab at fixing the issue by selecting run-stuffing defensive end Marcell Dareus at the top of the first round. There's a chance, however, that their second-round pick will have as big an impact against the run in 2011.

Aaron Williams won't be guaranteed playing time at cornerback, simply because the team has made it clear they'd like to re-sign Drayton Florence, which could relegate Williams to dime back duty as a rookie. In conducting our Buffalo Bills re-watch, however, it's become abundantly clear that the team could use more physicality out of their secondary, particularly at nickel cornerback.

Last season, Reggie Corner was the team's nickel back, and he was a liability against the run simply because he's not a very big or physical player. Buffalo struggled to stop the run in any package, but their nickel defense was particularly bad, to my eye. Mel Kiper called Williams the toughest run support corner he's graded in five years. If Williams only has one role as a rookie - a nickel back plugged in to stop the run and do a little hitting in the short passing game (where he'd have a chance to replace Bryan Scott) - he'll have served a very big purpose for his new team.