Did Saints S Marcus Williams Play Well Enough for a Big Contract?
The NFL draft class of 2017 provided the New Orleans Saints with the nucleus of a team that won four straight NFC South championships.
Stars like CB Marshon Lattimore, OT Ryan Ramczyk, and RB Alvin Kamara are among the league's best at their positions. Defensive ends Trey Hendrickson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and LB Alex Anzalone also had success with the Saints before moving on to other teams.
One player who sometimes gets overlooked in the incredible contributions of this draft class is FS Marcus Williams. A second-round choice out of Utah that season, Williams made an immediate impact and has been a productive member of one of the league's best defensive backfields.
Williams made the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2017. Over his first four years, Williams intercepted 13 passes, broke up 30 others, and forced or recovered 4 fumbles. The productivity caused the Saints to make him a priority as he entered a contract year last offseason.
New Orleans has used the franchise tag just three times in team history. The first two times were on QB Drew Brees and TE Jimmy Graham as they ironed out a long-term extension. Marcus Williams was the third time last spring, as the team wanted to avoid a bidding war on the open market.
Unlike with Brees and Graham, New Orleans was not able to work out an extension with Williams before the season. The safety played out the year and is once again a free agent. Did he play well enough to make New Orleans prioritize him again this offseason?
Saints 2021 Year-In-Review
Marcus Williams
New Orleans Saints S Marcus Williams. Credit: neworleanssaints.com
Williams intercepted Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers in the third quarter on opening day. He returned the pick 53 yards to set up an easy touchdown that put the Saints up three touchdowns in a 38-3 win.
The 25-year-old Williams had his worst outings of the year over weeks 2 and 4 of the season. He was caught out of position several times in a Week 2 loss at Carolina. Williams had an interception in a Week 4 loss to the Giants, but was also victimized several times on deep throws.
Sandwiched in between those two poor performances was a strong outing against the Patriots in a Week 3 win and another standout game against Washington after the New York loss.
Williams was part of an outstanding New Orleans secondary in 2021. His deep support allowed cornerbacks Lattimore and rookie Paulson Adebo to be more aggressive with receivers underneath.
The Saints defense ranked 14th against the pass in 2021. They allowed only four 300-yard passers, and none in the last nine games. Williams snuffed out most deep attempts with outstanding range and instincts as the deep safety.
Marcus Williams finished the 2021 season with 2 interceptions and 8 passes broken up. His tackling, considered a weak point in his game, was immensely improved. He had a career-high 74 tackles last season.
Williams also appeared in a career-best 1,096 defensive snaps in 2021, missing just one contest. Rarely deployed in man coverage, Williams surrendered only 48.8% completion percentage on 43 targets, the best mark of his five-year career.
The athletic Williams has as much range as any safety in the NFL. His speed, anticipation, and ball skills make him a viable threat against any offense. The deep support Williams provides allows the New Orleans corners to clamp down on wideouts with confidence. This was especially vital to the development of Adebo, a third-round selection.
Williams is again slated to be a free agent next month. Spotrac.com has estimated that his next contract will be an average of approximately $13.6 million per year.
A franchise tag for the second consecutive year would put his 2022 salary at around the same figure. If the Saints use the tag on him again, it's likely just to keep him off the market while the two sides work out a long-term extension.
New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams. Credit: Deseret News
Even with the presence of versatile star S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, I expect the Saints to prioritize re-signing Williams this offseason. Veteran S Malcolm Jenkins, 34, may be a cap casualty given his age, size of contract, and liability in coverage.
The other top members of Williams’ draft class have already been locked up to extensions. Kamara, Lattimore, and Ramczyk each signed long-term deals within the last 18 months. With his underrated value to one of the NFL's best defenses, Williams could very well be the next big contract signing.
