2020 All-22 analysis: Buffalo Bills right tackle Daryl Williams

It was a quiet season for Williams, which is usually a good sign for an offensive lineman

By Skarekrow Feb 9, 2021, 8:02am EST

When a former Carolina Panthers player hits the market it’s a sure bet that they’ll be picked up by the Buffalo Bills. Or so the legend goes. And in the case of offensive tackle Daryl Williams the legends were true. Williams just completed his first season in Buffalo, earning near-universal praise. Let’s check in on the hype to see how much finger-crossing we’ll all be doing in hopes of a return.

Play 1

Daryl Williams gets set on this block, latches on, and pushes a lane clear. His part of it anyway.

Play 2

The highlight here is the timing and transitions between the two blocks. Williams helps wreck the first defender and then isolates the second. This play had a ton of potential and the work of Daryl Williams is a big reason why.

Play 3

The GIF covers most of the message here. Daryl Williams isn’t a mauler exactly, but you can count on him to win the ones he’s supposed to win. That includes some quality shoving from time to time.

Play 4

Williams is solid on the move as well. I know the GIF doesn’t show a successful block, which might seem odd as it appears I’m praising Williams. It’s important to note that T.J. Yeldon cuts back rather than following Williams, which changes the trajectory of the defender Williams was aiming for on the play. Yeldon’s decision comes a bit late for Williams to hit the brakes like he’d need to be successful.

Play 5

Let’s get to some pass protection! I chose this GIF to highlight one of Williams’s weaknesses. He can get beat by the speed game. Two other things to note though. One, he’s often on an island with edge players and you don’t hear his name called out often. Two, beat doesn’t generally mean “beat bad.” He often gets enough to be effective for a mobile quarterback like Josh Allen. And he often recovers nicely too.

Play 6

Another flaw for Williams is the tendency to push his center of gravity forward, making him susceptible to moves like this one. Again, he’s usually able to hold the block long enough for Allen. I have another motive for showing these two flaws the way I do. I feel these are representative of Williams in that even when you notice flaws you’re typically looking at a decent block. When he’s on, he’s on. When he’s off, he’s still kind of on.

Play 7

Like this play. This would be a quick disaster for many linemen but Williams manages to establish his position again. Several times.

Play 8

One of the things I like about Williams’s game is that he’s never looking to hit someone just to hit someone. He’s deliberate, though I don’t intend to suggest that means slow. When he can wait for a block like we see here, he does it and makes sure he has the right angle.

Play 9

My favorite move from offensive tackles. A well-timed swat can send your opponent reeling. This isn’t an all-the-time thing by any means but it’s sure fun to watch.

Summary

I think this is likely one of the safest conclusions of the offseason. It’d be phenomenal to keep Daryl Williams in Buffalo. It’s hard to do linemen analysis without comparing to other players so here goes. Of the players we’ve covered so far in this review series only Ty Nsekhe has a stronger push in the run game. Williams isn’t too far behind though. When it comes to pass protection, Williams is consistent and effective. Keeping Williams in Western New York should be a priority.