Patriots trade for Lions OT Mike Williams

[RedOctober3829]

 

Ben Volin ‏@BenVolin  32s32 seconds ago
Source: #Patriots have traded for #Lions OT Mike Williams. Came into the league as a TE. Pats tried to sign him off practice squad last year

 
Article from the Detroit Free Press on Williams.
 

He was lukewarm -- if not outright opposed -- to the idea when the Detroit Lions first proposed it days after last year's NFL draft, but now that Michael Williams has spent a year playing offensive tackle, he wonders why he didn't make the switch sooner.
"I feel like this is where I should have been all along," Williams said after the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday. "Just a blessing in disguise. Didn't like it at first, but just a blessing in disguise. I can say that."
With LaAdrian Waddle and Cornelius Lucas nursing injuries and sitting out minicampthis week, Williams, a converted tight end, is playing right tackle with the Lions' No. 1 offense.
A seventh-round pick as a blocking tight end out of Alabama in 2013, Williams spent his rookie season on injured reserve with a broken hand. He changed positions last year, after the Lions drafted tight end Eric Ebron in the first round.
Williams showed promise in his new role almost immediately, a big-bodied blocker with the right temperament for the position. But the Lions kept him on the practice squad even as injuries mounted on their offensive line late in the season.
Offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn praised Williams' progress earlier this spring, and after watching him take first-team reps Tuesday, coach Jim Cadlwell said Williams has "really come along" at his new position.
"I think (so), just in terms of making the adjustment from a guy that was kind of on the edge to a guy that's in the thick of it all," Caldwell said. "His size, I think, is something that's a natural for the position in which he plays. For a number of years, I think he was trying to control his weight because he's a 300-pound tight end, and you don't see very many 300-pound tight ends in this league. So this is natural for him, I think, and he's coming along and making good progress. It's not an easy position to learn. It's a very, very tough adjustment, but he's taken it on and doing quite well with it."

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/06/17/mike-williams-detroit-lions/28857597/
 

 

[Ferm Sheller]

If they gave up anything more than their own first round pick in next year's draft I'm gonna be pissed.

 

[ifmanis5]

Favor to Saban in return for inside scouting info?

 

[nighthob]

If they gave up anything more than their own first round pick in next year's draft I'm gonna be pissed.

 
It would be hilarious if they trolled the NFL that way.

 

[mwonow]

Yates reporting that the deal is for a future seventh rounder

 

[Super Nomario]

Williams was a mauler in college and an interesting prospect coming out of Alabama, but I'm curious about his fit here. Ostenibly the Pats are set at OT with Solder / Vollmer / Cannon / Fleming. Is someone's job in jeopardy? Would they roster five OTs?

 

[lambeau]

Could it be Hooman in jeopardy?

 

[edmunddantes]

Williams was a mauler in college and an interesting prospect coming out of Alabama, but I'm curious about his fit here. Ostenibly the Pats are set at OT with Solder / Vollmer / Cannon / Fleming. Is someone's job in jeopardy? Would they roster five OTs?

Well... he used to be a TE right? Maybe there is some weird loophole in the new ineligible/eligible rule where you can put an offensive line number out beyond the line, but you can't do it with a normally eligible number declared ineligible. Thus they stick him out there as eligible, stick an ineligible eligible in the middle, and get the defense all screwed up.
 
Kidding aside... no idea. It'll be interesting to see what happens with him. 

 

[Super Nomario]

Could it be Hooman in jeopardy?

Good point. It'll be interesting to see if they use him at TE at all. That still affects the OT depth chart potentially, as the 6th OL / blocking TE role was largely filled by Fleming last year.

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

Could it be Hooman in jeopardy?

 
I fucking hope so. I have no idea what the team sees in him. He can't run routes, he can't catch, and his blocking is pretty awful.

 

[joe dokes]

All part of BB's master plan to start game 1 with a QB and 10 offensive linemen, all of whom will rush the ref to do their required reporting.

 

[Shelterdog]

It's certainly possible that the kid is good enough that a 2017 7th is worth taking a shot at him--you're getting a two week tryout on someone who's probably too good for you to get at waivers, plus you have a backup LT for Saturday.
 
I do think there's a chance either Vollmer or Cannon are in trouble-Vollmer on the "better cut him a year too early than a year too late" theory even though we all assume he'd be the best linemen, Cannon because maybe he's hurt pretty badly and they're thinking about IR/IR-DTR.

 

[BannedbyNYYFans.com]

https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry/status/636619750739705856
 
Phil Perry ‏@PhilAPerry  4m4 minutes ago
Newly acquired tackle Michael Williams came out in No. 74. Put on jersey No. 85 after stretching. Was with the tight ends.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry/status/636619750739705856
 
Phil Perry ‏@PhilAPerry  4m4 minutes ago
Newly acquired tackle Michael Williams came out in No. 74. Put on jersey No. 85 after stretching. Was with the tight ends.

 
Wow, that's a cool "Bourque/Esposito"-like tribute to Shelby Jordan.  Chills.

 

[soxhop411]

“@DougKyedNESN: The Patriots traded a 2017 seventh-round draft pick to the Lions for offensive tackle/tight end Michael Williams.”

 

[ipol]

 
Wow, that's a cool "Bourque/Esposito"-like tribute to Shelby Jordan.  Chills.

 
I'll not let this go un-noted. Well done.

 

[RoDaddy]

Could it be Hooman in jeopardy?

This was my first thought too

It seems like there's gonna be some tough OL decisions/cuts for the Pats. They have a lot of decent talent there beyond starters Solder, Stork and Vollmer including Wendell, Cannon, Fleming, Kline, Jackson, Mason and now Williams

 

[Shelterdog]

This was my first thought too

It seems like there's gonna be some tough OL decisions/cuts for the Pats. They have a lot of decent talent there beyond starters Solder, Stork and Vollmer including Wendell, Cannon, Fleming, Kline, Jackson, Mason and now Williams

 
They're also playing more and more six OL sets, so if you had an actual former TE as the sixth OL (somebody who can catch a little, is more comfortable with being that far from center, and knows the procedural rules of and what is or isn't a legal formation extremely well) that might work better than using a pure tackle.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

 
They're also playing more and more six OL sets, so if you had an actual former TE as the sixth OL (somebody who can catch a little, is more comfortable with being that far from center, and knows the procedures) that might work better than using a pure tackle.

 
That's what I'm thinking as well.  Between Williams and the guy from the 49ers, they seem to be auditioning players for the blocking TE/6th OL role.  I wouldn't be too comfortable if I was Hooman right now, cutting whom saves about 1M against the cap.  Given that both Gronk and Chandler are two-way TEs and that they like these big sets with 6 OL (or OL equivalents), why not have the 3rd TE be a real absolute mauler rather than a decent blocker/mediocre receiver type like Hooman?

 

[RIFan]

 
Wow, that's a cool "Bourque/Esposito"-like tribute to Shelby Jordan.  Chills.

That's some institutional memory you have there. He lived in my neighborhood until he was traded to the Raiders. Very nice guy.

 

[Granite Sox]

Hooman and Cam Fleming in particular should feel like they're on notice.  Fleming has often been OL#6, and by accounts so far has had a miserable pre-season.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

That's some institutional memory you have there. He lived in my neighborhood until he was traded to the Raiders. Very nice guy.

 
I'm old enough to remember Shelby but I'm young enough to remember him, too.