The Seattle Seahawks made a bold move in the middle of last season, trading for Leonard Williams from the New York Giants. As he enters his first full season with the Seahawks with a new three-year contract in hand, the veteran defensive tackle has something to prove.
In their annual preseason article, Bleacher Report listed Williams as the most overrated defensive lineman in the NFL.
“After an ugly start to the 2023 campaign, the Giants traded the defensive lineman to the Seahawks. Williams did pick up the pace after the trade,” Bleacher Report writes. “He finished his 10-game tryout in Seattle with nine tackles for a loss, four sacks, 15 pressures, seven QB knockdowns and four hurries. It remains to be seen whether Williams will sustain that pace moving forward, but it doesn’t seem like a safe bet given his inconsistency in the past. The Seahawks paying him like a top-15 defensive line talent will only compound the issue.”
Williams was a bright spot in the Seahawks defense last season, which ranked as one of the worst in the league. But now with new head coach Mike Macdonald, the defense projects to be better. With the Baltimore Ravens, Macdonald coordinated the defense to lead the league in sacks in 2023. If the Seahawks are going to reach that goal this year, Williams will be a huge part of the blueprint.
The Seahawks need Williams to play well because he is one of the highest-paid players on the team. With just two years left on his deal, the Seahawks will have the chance to part ways with him after the 2024 campaign if he underperforms.
But Williams and the Seahawks hope he can play to the level he is paid at, performing as one of the best defensive ends in the league to silence critics.
