Oakland Raiders Grab Massive Run Plugger Dan Williams
By Erik Lambert
Oct 17, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dan Williams against the Seattle Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jack Del Rio knew one of the major keys to the 2015 NFL free agency period was finding a way to improve his defense, which finished last season 32nd in points allowed and 21st in yards allowed. A big reason for that? They couldn’t stop the run. Oakland allowed 119 yards per game on the ground and were 28th in the league giving up rushing touchdowns. That has to stop, and the best way to do it is getting bigger and better up front.
Raiders signing Dan Williams and Curtis Lofton per source. Getting Williams pulled them out of Knighton sweepstakes.
— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) March 11, 2015
Here’s a bio-blast via the NFL Mocks database:
"“Dan Williams has everything you look for in a nose guard for a 3-4 defense. He’s big, strong, powerful, and is one of the best run stuffing defensive tackles in the league. On top of that, he gets a solid pass rush for a 330 pound man. Williams will turn 28 during the 2015 season which means that teams can throw a front loaded long term contract at him without having to worry about him aging early into the contract. A run stuffing nose guard is essential for successful 3-4 defenses — Williams definitely fits the bill.”"
Ideally Williams is a 3-4 nose tackle, but Del Rio has tons of experience molding giant defensive tackles to his 4-3 alignment, as he did with Terrance Knighton in Denver. The transition shouldn’t be a hard one, and the +11.7 run defense rating he earned as a starter in Arizona is precisely what the Oakland Raiders were looking for.
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Grade: A-
Knighton would’ve been the better signing but also the more expensive one. The Raiders managed to save a few dollars and still get most of what they were looking for. Dan Williams will instantly upgrade their run defense and open up a number of opportunities for Khalil Mack and the pass rush to swell their sack totals moving forward.