How Trill Williams and Nolan Cooney Fit with the New Orleans Saints
Former Syracuse defensive back Trill Williams and punter Nolan Cooney signed with the New Orleans Saints. How do they fit with the Saints plans? Do they have a realistic shot to make the roster? We spoke to Saints News Network's Bob Rose to find out.
Q: How do you envision Trill Williams fitting into the New Orleans secondary?
Rose: "To me, Williams looks like he'll fit best as a safety in the NFL. What stood out to me when I watched his film leading up to the draft were his instincts and anticipation off the ball. He has a nice closing burst to the ball and has a playmaker's mentality. I really like his aggressiveness around the line of scrimmage and his ability to diagnose an offense. He'll struggle a little in man coverage against shifty receivers, but certainly has the coverage ability and versatility to step into slot coverage."
SUBSCRIBE TO ALLSYRACUSE.COM NOW TO GET ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE INSIDER CONTENT!
Q: What was the reaction from fans when Trill signed?
Rose: "I'll be honest, I was surprised that Trill Williams was not drafted. Many fans that follow the New Orleans Saints were just as excited about his free agent signing as they were some of the draft picks."
Q: What are Trill's chances of making the roster?
Rose: "The Saints absolutely love versatility in their defensive backs. I can see them using Trill Williams similar to the way they use Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. He'll have to stand out on special teams, but his off the ball skills and coverage versatility give him a great chance to make this team."
Q: What do you make of the Nolan Cooney signing and does he have a shot to make the roster?
Rose: "It's been a long time since the Saints had a legitimate competition at punter. With the departure of the beloved Thomas Morstead, Nolan Cooney has the ability to beat out last year's UDFA addition Blake Gillikin for the job. Cooney has a booming leg, but has also shown great improvement in his directional ability over the last year."
