jatfly
AKA:Burgraider
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2006
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Looks like Sam got one last chance to take the starting job and turn it into his career.
http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/05/raiders-bing-williams220507.html
Last year, the oft-injured Williams started alongside Morrison and Howard in 12 regular-season games. All said and done, the 260-pounder recorded 44 tackles, one sack and one pass defensed. The sub-50-tackle season was Williams' best campaign since entering the league in 2003; prior to last year, he had appeared in just 10 total games and recorded 27 tackles, no sacks and three passes defensed.
This season, with the athletic Bing back at safety, Williams' road to another starting position is rather straight and unchallenging.
Contenders for the final slot include 26-year-old linebacker Robert Thomas, special teams standout Isaiah Ekejiuba, rookie Kyle Shotwell, as well as further long shots Charlton Keith and Ricky Brown.
Of the five challengers, Thomas appears to be best suited to steal the spot from Williams. In his first stint with the Raiders, the 6-0, 235-pound Thomas appeared in all 16 regular-season games, but started in none. The former UCLA standout tallied 36 tackles on the year, which was just eight fewer than Williams registered, and in 12 fewer starts.
Outside of Thomas, experienced linebackers are few and far between on the Raiders' roster.
Combined, Ekejiuba, Shotwell, Keith and Brown hold only four years of experience and have recorded just 21 tackles in those four years. Factor in the final three linebackers on the Raiders' roster -- Chris Clemons, J.J. Milan and Kurt Campbell -- and just five years of experience and 16 tackles are added to the mix.
Pooled together, then, the seven linebackers outside of the Morrison, Howard, Williams and Thomas have just nine years of experience and 37 tackles under their belts.
Bing's move back to safety may, in the long run, turn out to be the correct decision.
However, in the short term, removing the speedy Bing from the linebacking picture may slow the development and stall the competitiveness of the young corps.
If Williams can show he is reliable and consistent enough to hold down the final slot for 16 games, though, Kiffin's offseason decision will have little effect on the '07 season.
However, at this point, the move seemingly only benefits Sam Williams, who no longer has to worry about a young, high-potential linebacker stealing his job.
http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/05/raiders-bing-williams220507.html
Last year, the oft-injured Williams started alongside Morrison and Howard in 12 regular-season games. All said and done, the 260-pounder recorded 44 tackles, one sack and one pass defensed. The sub-50-tackle season was Williams' best campaign since entering the league in 2003; prior to last year, he had appeared in just 10 total games and recorded 27 tackles, no sacks and three passes defensed.
This season, with the athletic Bing back at safety, Williams' road to another starting position is rather straight and unchallenging.
Contenders for the final slot include 26-year-old linebacker Robert Thomas, special teams standout Isaiah Ekejiuba, rookie Kyle Shotwell, as well as further long shots Charlton Keith and Ricky Brown.
Of the five challengers, Thomas appears to be best suited to steal the spot from Williams. In his first stint with the Raiders, the 6-0, 235-pound Thomas appeared in all 16 regular-season games, but started in none. The former UCLA standout tallied 36 tackles on the year, which was just eight fewer than Williams registered, and in 12 fewer starts.
Outside of Thomas, experienced linebackers are few and far between on the Raiders' roster.
Combined, Ekejiuba, Shotwell, Keith and Brown hold only four years of experience and have recorded just 21 tackles in those four years. Factor in the final three linebackers on the Raiders' roster -- Chris Clemons, J.J. Milan and Kurt Campbell -- and just five years of experience and 16 tackles are added to the mix.
Pooled together, then, the seven linebackers outside of the Morrison, Howard, Williams and Thomas have just nine years of experience and 37 tackles under their belts.
Bing's move back to safety may, in the long run, turn out to be the correct decision.
However, in the short term, removing the speedy Bing from the linebacking picture may slow the development and stall the competitiveness of the young corps.
If Williams can show he is reliable and consistent enough to hold down the final slot for 16 games, though, Kiffin's offseason decision will have little effect on the '07 season.
However, at this point, the move seemingly only benefits Sam Williams, who no longer has to worry about a young, high-potential linebacker stealing his job.
