Yardbarker: Aaron Williams 6th-best Safety in NFL

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I have been screaming it all offseason (after previously hating on the guy). I think that AW is about to be one of the best couple of safeties in the league. He does EVERYTHING well. I actually like him more than Byrd for the rest of their careers (I still have JB ahead of him).

 

I agree. Last year, I actually suggested we sign Williams long-term over Byrd. I like Williams better, in part, due to his versatility:

 

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/164782-would-you-rather-have-aaron-williams-or-jairus-byrd-long-term/

[Luka]

I won't get into the rankings but I will say that as an overall player, he is better than Byrd. Byrd is great in coverage but he can't play the whole field and that makes a big difference in an NFL that, according to pundits, is moving back to the running game.

[K D]

AW is a quality guy. he's always out there in the community signing autographs and getting involved and it seems like he's becoming more of a leader on the team. I think that role will grow now that Byrd is gone. at the end of the season he signed a jersey and put it in Byrd's locker and said "thanks for everything Byrdman." the guy is a class act and i'm glad we signed him long term. he is versatile and can step in and play CB if we need him but i like him at safety. it looked like early on he might have been a bust but he stuck with it and now he's the best guy we have in the secondary.

 

fun fact about AW: dude is a straight up texas cowboy and owns multiple horses and wears cowboy hats and drives pickup trucks

[YoloinOhio]

AW is a quality guy. he's always out there in the community signing autographs and getting involved and it seems like he's becoming more of a leader on the team. I think that role will grow now that Byrd is gone. at the end of the season he signed a jersey and put it in Byrd's locker and said "thanks for everything Byrdman." the guy is a class act and i'm glad we signed him long term. he is versatile and can step in and play CB if we need him but i like him at safety. it looked like early on he might have been a bust but he stuck with it and now he's the best guy we have in the secondary.

 

fun fact about AW: dude is a straight up texas cowboy and owns multiple horses and wears cowboy hats and drives pickup trucks

He was on the Jim Rome show last season and said that when his NFL career is over he plans to be a professional bull rider.

 

He is very interactive with the fans. On Twitter he lets everyone know when he is playing hoops at the Y and invites people to play with he and other Bills. Also on Friday nights in the fall when they aren't on the road he asks on Twitter where the best HS football game is that week and then goes to the game and live tweets about the teams. Pretty cool.

[Kirby Jackson]

He was on the Jim Rome show last season and said that when his NFL career is over he plans to be a professional bull rider.

 

He is very interactive with the fans. On Twitter he lets everyone know when he is playing hoops at the Y and invites people to play with he and other Bills. Also on Friday nights in the fall when they aren't on the road he asks on Twitter where the best HS football game is that week and then goes to the game and live tweets about the teams. Pretty cool.

AW is exactly what you want in a team leader. He gets it. In addition to being incredibly talented he is a good guy that genuinely enjoys WNY. I have a feeling that he is going to be one of the team leaders as this team turns the corner.

 

If I were voting for captains this year they'd be:

-Kyle Williams

-EJ

-Aaron Williams

-Wood

-FJax

-Corey Graham (ST)

[CountryCletus]

Where was Duke Williams? 9.. 10...??

[Mr. WEO]

14? He was out for the last game and started the Ravens game at CB, I believe.

 

Just one game at CB last year? Anyway, he may be come a top 10 S, but hard to say is one now given less than a full season at the position. Let's see what happens this year, no?

[Kirby Jackson]

Just one game at CB last year? Anyway, he may be come a top 10 S, but hard to say is one now given less than a full season at the position. Let's see what happens this year, no?

Personally I think that experience is the most overrated aspect of player evaluation. The guy that wrote the article may be one of the only people on a national level recognizing AW as a top 10 S but I don't think that there were 10 S that had better years last season (and he only played 14 games).

 

Aaron WIlliams: 82 tackles, 1 FF, 4 INT (14 games)

Kam Chancellor: 99 tackles, 1 FF, 3 INT (16 games)

Dashon Goldson: 72 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT (13 games)

Devin McCourty: 69 tackles, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT (15 games)

Eric Reid: 77 tackles, 2 FR, 4 INT (16 games)

Bernard Pollard: 99 tackles, 3 INT (16 games)

 

If you take out the top, top guys (Thomas, Berry, Rolle, Weddle, Polamalu) he stacks up with anyone that I have found. He may not be elite (yet) but he is right there with anyone. The fact that he can do everything on the field makes him all the more valuable.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Kirby Jackson

[CountryCletus]

I am liking him more and more as our top safety... Would have loved to keep Byrd, but the distractions and cost simply don't make sense

[K-9]

Williams' athleticism and versatility have me in a quandary about where best to play him. I'd love to see him at free where he can play that deep middle where I think we'd see him get to more balls than Byrd was physically able to. But I also would like to take advantage of his unique athleticism by having him at SS and closer to the LOS and ball, Charles Woodson-like, where he could be a more frequent disruptive force.

 

Nice problem to have.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Mr. WEO]

Personally I think that experience is the most overrated aspect of player evaluation. The guy that wrote the article may be one of the only people on a national level recognizing AW as a top 10 S but I don't think that there were 10 S that had better years last season (and he only played 14 games).

 

Aaron WIlliams: 82 tackles, 1 FF, 4 INT (14 games)

Kam Chancellor: 99 tackles, 1 FF, 3 INT (16 games)

Dashon Goldson: 72 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT (13 games)

Devin McCourty: 69 tackles, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT (15 games)

Eric Reid: 77 tackles, 2 FR, 4 INT (16 games)

Bernard Pollard: 99 tackles, 3 INT (16 games)

 

If you take out the top, top guys (Thomas, Berry, Rolle, Weddle, Polamalu) he stacks up with anyone that I have found. He may not be elite (yet) but he is right there with anyone. The fact that he can do everything on the field makes him all the more valuable.

 

It's not necessarily experience, it's the ability to put 2 good seasons together. We can say he was one of the best Safeties last season, but not necessarily will he be so next season. He does many things well, but in man coverage, he struggled.

 

This same site left R Wilson off the top 10 QBs, yet included "Big Ben" and Newton.

[Kirby Jackson]

 

 

It's not necessarily experience, it's the ability to put 2 good seasons together. We can say he was one of the best Safeties last season, but not necessarily will he be so next season. He does many things well, but in man coverage, he struggled.

 

This same site left R Wilson off the top 10 QBs, yet included "Big Ben" and Newton.

I don't remember him struggling in man coverage last year? He was bad in man coverage for a corner but good for a safety.

 

We will see if he can build off of it but if we were to rank the top 10 top S for 2014 the 2013 performance is the best place to start. He does not appear to be a player that will fall off a cliff either (like Ed Reed last year). He should continue to climb. Will he be Earl Thomas probably not. Can he be Weddle, Rolle or Byrd? Those are top 5ish guys that he appears poised to close in on IMO. AW as a top 10 S isn't that crazy at all. (It's crazy to me because I thought the guy should get cut).

[Dibs]

If true, the Bills had some great foresight in sighing this kid for the next few years.

 

......and the concept perhaps had some baring on the Byrd negotiations. Some posters should probably reassess their harsh opinions on the management re Byrd.

 

 

I agree. Last year, I actually suggested we sign Williams long-term over Byrd. I like Williams better, in part, due to his versatility:

 

http://forums.twobil...byrd-long-term/

 

Legitimate kudos to you on this one......and in reference to your OP in that thread, it looks like we signed him for a chunk less than what we were willing to pay Byrd, so kudos to the Bills management too.

[3rdand12]

Interesting. I recently though of Williams after reading a post asking which current Bill was this team's Darryl Talley. I think that Talley was a notable Bill in that he clearly was a vocal spark plug for the team and not only set an example with some good plays but vocally exhorted and demanded his teammates to perform.

 

I do not think that Williams has been a vocal leader yet, because quite frankly he is an emerging rather than proven star. Talley showed notable talent in that he was a good enough player to command respect, but also was still a cut below the Big Three (Reed, Smith, Thomas) and some of the other HoF level players (Kelly, Tasker).

 

I think Williams has reached a point with his level of play that he is good but not great, but his should give him the proven chops to also be more vocal in inspiring and demanding more from his teammates. Articles such as this one where outside parties are willing to acknowledge Williams as well into the upper third of players at his position can set the table for Williams like Talley to be of more value to the team than his very good but not great talents.

 

No one mistakes him for a Pro Bowl quality player (yet) but he can bring a lot to the table for the Bills.

Oh dear. I mistook him for pro bowl caliber last year. I did pay attention to his play.

He was rather vocal and he was calling the defense on the back end. he was hitting hard too !

Last year he transitioned amazingly well and i hope for more of the same this season under Jim and of course my man Donnie Henderson

 

Williams' athleticism and versatility have me in a quandary about where best to play him. I'd love to see him at free where he can play that deep middle where I think we'd see him get to more balls than Byrd was physically able to. But I also would like to take advantage of his unique athleticism by having him at SS and closer to the LOS and ball, Charles Woodson-like, where he could be a more frequent disruptive force.

 

Nice problem to have.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Indeed sir

 

Just one game at CB last year? Anyway, he may be come a top 10 S, but hard to say is one now given less than a full season at the position. Let's see what happens this year, no?

Yes. Lets do

 

AW is a quality guy. he's always out there in the community signing autographs and getting involved and it seems like he's becoming more of a leader on the team. I think that role will grow now that Byrd is gone. at the end of the season he signed a jersey and put it in Byrd's locker and said "thanks for everything Byrdman." the guy is a class act and i'm glad we signed him long term. he is versatile and can step in and play CB if we need him but i like him at safety. it looked like early on he might have been a bust but he stuck with it and now he's the best guy we have in the secondary.

 

fun fact about AW: dude is a straight up texas cowboy and owns multiple horses and wears cowboy hats and drives pickup trucks

Go A&W !

[johnwalter]

I have been screaming it all offseason (after previously hating on the guy). I think that AW is about to be one of the best couple of safeties in the league. He does EVERYTHING well. I actually like him more than Byrd for the rest of their careers (I still have JB ahead of him). I figured that I would take a shot at my top 10 safeties (3 Texas guys):

1. Earl Thomas

2. Eric Berry

3. Antrelle Rolle

4. Jairus Byrd

5. Aaron Williams

6. Eric Weddle

7. Kam Chancellor

8. Eric Reid

9. TJ Ward

10. Kenny Vaccarro

 

i have this nagging fear that calvin pryor is going to be pretty high on that list by december. the kid was one of my favorite players in the draft and seeing him in green and white scares the bejesus out of me.

[Webster Guy]

 

If you think the loss of a playmaker like Byrd won't be felt, I've got a bridge to sell you... I agree his welcome here had likely come to an end. However, not tagging him again and getting zero in return for him walking doesn't seem like the best move. Maybe for the locker room it was? I guess that's why I'm not a GM. Overall I like what Whaley has brought to the table and I've given him the benefit of the doubt on the Byrd thing.

i thought our defense played just as well if not better in the first part of the year without Byrd.

 

maybe the numbers support your claim that we are worse without Byrd (i didnt look up last years stats) but I doubt it.

 

take away his fluke rookie season and I think he averages less picks than most FS. (3 to 4 a year).

 

He was on the field for most of the long runs against us last year. out of position.

 

definitely a good player, not nearly worth what he got paid. a proven "Me First" guy. our starting safeties will be solid this year.

[Kirby Jackson]

 

 

i have this nagging fear that calvin pryor is going to be pretty high on that list by december. the kid was one of my favorite players in the draft and seeing him in green and white scares the bejesus out of me.

I like his game a lot too. I am not as high on Ha-Ha but I loved that Louisville defense. Pryor is big, fast, physical and skilled. Rex does good work with S as well. I would not at all be surprised if he becomes a really, really goo football player.

[3rdand12]

A Williams has not reached his ceiling yet . One year at safety and a shift back to corner temporarily , which he played well at this time around tells me he "gets it " now . Very upbeat about the secondary this year I am

[Chandler#81]

Interesting. I recently though of Williams after reading a post asking which current Bill was this team's Darryl Talley. I think that Talley was a notable Bill in that he clearly was a vocal spark plug for the team and not only set an example with some good plays but vocally exhorted and demanded his teammates to perform.

 

I do not think that Williams has been a vocal leader yet, because quite frankly he is an emerging rather than proven star. Talley showed notable talent in that he was a good enough player to command respect, but also was still a cut below the Big Three (Reed, Smith, Thomas) and some of the other HoF level players (Kelly, Tasker).

...

 

A Defensive player was a cut below 3 Offensive players and a STer? I think more accurately, Talley was a cut below Bruce, Conlan, Bennett and then Hanson. Daryl was a starter before any of them were on the Bills, teaming with Eugene Marve in an otherwise forgettable defense. Once superstar talent arrived, he was a 'piece' player who cried a lot about not getting superstar adulation. It wasn't warranted. He was a fine player who got better through wisdom in a long career and was the fortunate recipient of playing behind the greatest DE in League history.

 

Great guy? Yes. Great Bill? Yes. Great OLB? No.

[YoloinOhio]

i have this nagging fear that calvin pryor is going to be pretty high on that list by december. the kid was one of my favorite players in the draft and seeing him in green and white scares the bejesus out of me.

He is a hard hitter - but it seemed to me (and granted I only saw highlights, didn't want much Louisville football) that several times when his hit was a highlight in college it would have been a fine in the NFL.