Why Cowboys should target versatile OL Daryl Williams
We've reached a point in the Dallas Cowboys offseason where we mostly agree on what the team's top need is heading into the NFL Draft. The conversation around the 24th overall pick has featured inside offensive linemen, tackles, and edge rushers. Two years after drafting CeeDee Lamb, wide receiver is also in play. And a […]
We've reached a point in the Dallas Cowboys offseason where we mostly agree on what the team's top need is heading into the NFL Draft.
The conversation around the 24th overall pick has featured inside offensive linemen, tackles, and edge rushers. Two years after drafting CeeDee Lamb, wide receiver is also in play. And a year removed from picking Micah Parsons, linebacker is still a possibility for Dallas.
For the Cowboys to determine whose name will be on the card they turn in when they're on the clock, things won't be about determining what the top need is though. It will be about whose last name is on the top of the board. The optimal Draft approach would be to take the best player available.
One thing remains clear, however. The team needs a starting left guard after Connor Williams' departure in free agency. Preferably one that also provides depth and position flex as the last time Tyron Smith played 16 games was in 2015 when Dak Prescott was still playing college ball in Mississippi State.
That's why plenty of mock drafts and writers here at A to Z Sports point toward the offensive line being the position the Cowboys address in the first round.
And yet, offensive line remains such a pressing need for the Cowboys that they should focus on approaching it prior to the NFL Draft. One particular veteran comes to mind.
G/T Daryl Williams (29)
The former Buffalo Bills' offensive lineman has played at every offensive line spot in his career except center. In 2021, after struggling at right tackle he slid inside and was a competent starter for the Bills.
Williams' game is physical and tough, and he has ideal arm length for an offensive lineman at 35" that ranks him in the 87th percentile of the league's offensive linemen. But he's also an efficient puller. Last year, he allowed only 14 pressures in 600 snaps at right guard, per PFF.
Williams could also play the part of a swing tackle for the Cowboys, a spot that could feature some competition as second-year Josh Ball gets ready for a healthier offseason after being drafted in the fourth round last year.
70% of Williams' career offensive snaps have come at right tackle and he also has 188 reps at left tackle under his belt. The one question mark for Williams is how his solid performance at right guard in 2021 would translate to the left side in order to be an immediate contributor for the Cowboys.
The last time he played at left guard was in 2019, when he allowed 13 pressures in 409 snaps in a six-game span. That year, he played at four positions providing him little opportunity to fully settle in.
It's worth pointing out that the Bills likely didn't move on from Williams because of performance alone, but because a $10M cap hit wouldn't have made plenty of sense for a guard.
If the Cowboys can get Daryl Williams on a low-risk, short-term deal, they'd have less urgency to draft an offensive guard at 24th if there's a better player still on the board.
Free agency is all about covering needs and while Williams is far from the perfect answer, the truth is there's no starting guard in Dallas. He'd provide a competent starter for 2022.
Featured image via Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
