Free Agent Focus: ILB Avery Williamson

The New England Patriots head into the 2018 off-season in a way nobody at 1 Patriot Place should be happy about: fresh off a loss in Super Bowl LII at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. While many can point to the myriad of bizarre coaching decisions (like SS Jordan Richards being a big part of the game plan or the benching of starting CB Malcolm Butler in favor of Eric Rowe and Lions castoff Johnson Bademosi) as the primary factor in the loss, nobody can deny that the 2017 Patriots team was not talented enough to win it all–especially on defense. Fortunately the Patriots get a chance to remedy what ailed them in 2017 via free agency and the draft. Over the next few weeks here at Patriots POV, we’re going to highlight a handful of pending free agents that we think can contribute to next year’s iteration of the Patriots in search of their 6th Lombardi Trophy.

2017 was not the best year of health for the  NFL as a whole; several big name guys went down throughout the year and the Patriots were no exception. Already without their top WR in Julian Edelman the 2017 Patriots had their depth tested early and often. No position group was tested as much as the Patriots’ linebackers. With the season-ending loss of star LB Dont’a Hightower early in the year (torn pectoral) and LB Kyle Van Noy missing 3 games of his own (calf injury) the Patriots played several games without their 2 best LBs. Filling in were a group of youngsters, misfits and throwaways–a group that often looked slow and directionless. When Elandon Roberts starts a game as your best LB, you know your depth chart is in tatters. This offseason the Patriots must address the lack of depth and speed at LB in both the draft and free agency. Enter Tennessee Titan ILB Avery Williamson.

Williamson, listed at 6’1, 246lbs, is a run-stuffing ILB who projects as a MIKE LB in New England’s multiple scheme. Immediately an upgrade over Elandon Roberts as a two-down player, Williamson enters his age 26 season looking to cash in after one of the best seasons as a pro in 2017. He will have no shortage of suitors and could land one of the biggest deals for a free agent LB this season. Finances aside, the Patriots should have a look at Williamson; we have, and we like what we see.

The Good

Let’s get this out of the way early: Williamson is not the second coming of Luke Kuechly; he is not Bobby Wagner reincarnated, nor is he even a KJ Wright for that matter. Everyone hoping to read about what a stud all-around linebacker Williamson is should probably stop reading now (but please don’t). Avery Williamson is not an all around stud linebacker, but what he is a run-stuffer–and a very good one to boot. Williamson has something that you cannot teach: excellent instincts. He diagnoses run plays very quickly and reacts even quicker. He is a high-motor guy who can quickly turn around a team’s second-level run defense, something the Patriots desperately need. Williamson trusts his eyes and what he’s seeing and that allows him to stuff many runs at the line of scrimmage or even in the backfield. EWilliamson is a fundamentally sound tackler who does not often whiff. And while he is not a true coverage LB, Williamson has proven to be adequate in coverage (especially on tight ends).

The Bad

While Williamson is an excellent run defender he does not come without his faults. The biggest knock on Williamson is his inability to consistently stack and shed. When engaged with an OL he can struggle to get free. Fortunately, Williamson played most of his career in a 3-4 base defense. With big, two-gapping DL eating up blocks, Williamson was able to stay mostly clean to chase down the run. Williamson is also not a LB built in the mold of Atlanta’s Deion Jones or Jacksonville’s Myles Jack. That is to say, speed is not his calling card. While he’s certainly not as slow as David Harris or Kyle Van Noy were this past season in New England, most of Williamson’s highlights are the result of strong technique and excellent instincts rather than speed or athleticism. Also, while he is serviceable in coverage, he is not the LB you want on the field on third and long situations. His general awareness in zone coverage needs work and his man coverage (the stronger of his two coverage skills) ceiling is capped by his lack of long speed.

Is it a Fit?

Williamson’s best fit in the league is as a two-down, run-stuffing ILB in a two-gapping scheme that allows him to remain relatively clean vs the run. When he doesn’t have to shed an OL to make the play is when he’s at his best. While the Patriots don’t run a true 3-4 base defense, they do deploy a multiple defense that would allow Williamson to optimize his play in spots. In nickel situations Williamson would likely be retired to the bench and replaced by a more adept coverage LB. This is not a knock on Williams. The NFL is a league of specialists and not doing everything well does not mean you have no place on a team. Think of Williamson as Elandon Roberts with better change of direction skills and instincts.

The big issue that will arise with Avery Williamson will be the amount of money he will command. Coming off arguably his best season at just 26 years old, Williamson is poised to command as much at $9M annually per Spotrac. Will the Patriots be willing to spend that much on a two-down player? History suggests otherwise but Williamson would be a great addition to a LB corps that desperately needs an infusion of talent. He may not doing everything well but on this team he doesn’t need to. He does a few things well and excels in doing them. At the right price Avery Williamson would be a much needed and openly welcomed addition to the Patriots.

Games watched: Vs Jacksonville (week 17, 2017), @ Indianapolis (week 12, 2017), @Houston (week 13, 2017), @San Fransico (week 15, 2017) @Kansas City (Wild Card Weekend), @New Enlgand (Divisional Round Weekend). 

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