:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69720278/usa_today_15436091.0.jpg)
The Buffalo Bills had a giant hole at right tackle for quite some time prior to the 2020 NFL season. While they may have had a consistent name penciled in as the starter for many of the preceding seasons, no one slept easily knowing that Jordan Mills was the guy manning that spot.
Whether it was Mills, Seantrel Henderson, or Erik Pears, Buffalo constantly felt like a team that was searching for an upgrade at right tackle but was unable to find one. Finally, general manager Brandon Beane brought in a player worthy of the upgrade.
In today’s installment of our “90 players in 90 days” series, we discuss that player.
Name: Daryl Williams
Number: 75
Position: OL
Height/Weight: 6’6” 330 lbs
Age: 28 (29 on 8/31/2021)
Experience/Draft: 7; selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round (No. 102 overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft
College: Oklahoma
Acquired: Signed with Bills on 4/1/2020
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Williams re-signed this offseason, inking a three-year deal worth a total of $24 million. For the 2021 season, Williams carries a salary cap hit of $6.15 million. The Bills are on the hook for a dead-cap charge of $9.4 million if he’s released or traded.
2020 Recap: Williams entered training camp in a battle for the starting job at right tackle with incumbent starter Cody Ford and his primary backup from the year prior, Ty Nsekhe. Williams easily won the gig, with Ford sliding inside to guard and Nsekhe taking a seat on the bench. After spending much of his time in Carolina dealing with injuries, Williams was not only healthy for a full season, but he also appeared to be fully recovered from the knee injuries that derailed his 2018 campaign. Williams was healthy in 2019, but he never had a permanent position, as the Panthers moved him around from right tackle to both guard spots throughout the year. In Buffalo, Williams was the starting right tackle for all 19 games the team played, and he was magnificent. While he was whistled for a career-high six penalties during the regular season, including five false starts, he allowed just three sacks, solidifying the right side of the line and giving quarterback Josh Allen a legitimate bookend to left tackle Dion Dawkins. Williams led the team in offensive snaps, too, logging 1,048 during the 2020 season.
Positional outlook: Williams enters camp as the presumed starter at right tackle across from Dawkins, who will reprise his role as the left tackle. Buffalo drafted a pair of behemoths in Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle, both of whom should compete for the swing tackle job. Ryan Bates, Bobby Hart, and Caleb Benenoch are the other tackles on the roster.
2021 Offseason: Williams is healthy and he has participated in all offseason activities to date.
2021 Season outlook: Barring injury, Williams is set to line up at right tackle for the Bills once again this year. The Bills struck gold with a low-risk signing last April, banking on Williams returning to pre-injury form with some positional stability. That investment was a prudent one, and rather than let Williams walk away after the strong season, they made sure they prioritized keeping him in Orchard Park for the future. Williams is an elite option at right tackle when healthy, and he’s been plenty healthy since coming to the Bills. He gives the team one of the league’s best tackle combos.