Despite a great deal of biodiversity, New York State hasn’t been home to any panthers since the late 1800s/early 1900s. Perhaps this is why the Buffalo Bills continue to try introducing them to the area. The latest example is newly signed free-agent offensive lineman Daryl Williams. Let’s check in on where he might fit into things.
Play 1
As always, these GIFs are plays I’d call “typical.” For Daryl Williams, the “atypical” plays can swing pretty far in either direction. He doesn’t usually reach “All-Pro” or “catastrophic” but there’s some variability. In at left tackle here, Williams shows decent push and helps create a lane. He even find more work and gets another block in at the next level. Nothing is dominant.
Play 2
This isn’t the most aggressive pass rush but it’s still sound football. Against better efforts this clean of an area is rare for Williams to maintain. On the other hand, he does fine and does it against a variety of techniques.
Play 3
When the play gives him an advantage such as being on an opponent’s side, Daryl Williams is good enough to capitalize on it, which can’t be said of everyone. He does a good job against J.J. Watt, which you never take for granted.
Play 4
This isn't a failure like the GIF might seem to hint at. This pocket is far from perfect but overall Williams did fine. He’s caught a bit off guard by Watt as the Houston Texans really go after a focused spot on the offensive line. This GIF highlights that Williams often matches the level of the players around him. He won’t elevate the team single-handedly but doesn’t drag you down either.
Play 5
Another day, another position. Short and sweet on the chatter here, this block is pretty good.
Play 6
I wouldn’t characterize Daryl Williams as a mauler since he rarely seems to flatten opponents or get a tremendous push. He is, however, pretty nimble when on the move. Interestingly, this is how I would describe last year’s offensive line in Buffalo on the whole.
Play 7
Here’s another example of Williams on the move. Also he’s playing yet another spot on the line. A major takeaway is that there were no cliffs in skill for Williams based on position. I felt he makes a better tackle than guard but the difference isn’t vast.
Play 8
One more for the road. This one might be a little closer to highlight than “typical,” but it shows well what Daryl Williams is capable of.
Summary
Daryl Williams plays pretty good ball at four different positions, which is incredibly valuable. While likely to remain in the reserve role in Buffalo, there’s an outside chance he could push for a starting job. At the bare minimum, Williams should shake up the depth chart simply by providing the Bills with options.