Connor Williams’ Offseason Is Worth The Weight

[Stash]

FRISCO, Texas – Pro football is a unique occupation where body weight is a discussion point regarding your job performance.

In Connor Williams’ case, more pounds is a primary step toward building on his 2018 rookie season.

“The main focus during the offseason is strength and getting the power up,” the second-year guard said. “I think I’ve put myself in a good position. Now it’s just about refining the technique and feeling comfortable.”

Williams, the Cowboys’ 2018 second-round draft pick, knew last season he needed to add weight and bulk. An immediate starter at left guard, he had difficulty sustaining a consistent base against veteran pass rushers such as Carolina’s Kawann Short and Washington’s Jonathan Allen.

Williams underwent a knee scope last November and split time at guard with veteran Xavier Su’a-Filo down the stretch, including two starts in playoff games against the Seahawks and Rams.


Now, four months into the offseason, Williams’ hard work in the weight room is apparent. He’s up to a rugged 315 pounds after playing at a “light 300” last year, he said.

A player’s first full NFL offseason program is particularly beneficial. During the grind of a rookie season, the goal is simply maintaining weight and strength. Before that, players are in college balancing classes with football and finding the right diet.

Williams has been a standout performer in the voluntary program to this point, improving his rookie strength numbers. He credits his lifting partner, All-Pro guard Zack Martin, and Cowboys director of strength and conditioning Mike Woicik, for support this spring.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/connor-williams-offseason-is-worth-the-weight

 

[MCMetal69]

Working a full off-season with a beast like Zack Martin will undoubtedly help Williams...............I see him being a starter on the offensive line this season , and a good one at that.....................

 

[Mr_437]

FRISCO, Texas – Pro football is a unique occupation where body weight is a discussion point regarding your job performance.

In Connor Williams’ case, more pounds is a primary step toward building on his 2018 rookie season.

“The main focus during the offseason is strength and getting the power up,” the second-year guard said. “I think I’ve put myself in a good position. Now it’s just about refining the technique and feeling comfortable.”

Williams, the Cowboys’ 2018 second-round draft pick, knew last season he needed to add weight and bulk. An immediate starter at left guard, he had difficulty sustaining a consistent base against veteran pass rushers such as Carolina’s Kawann Short and Washington’s Jonathan Allen.

Williams underwent a knee scope last November and split time at guard with veteran Xavier Su’a-Filo down the stretch, including two starts in playoff games against the Seahawks and Rams.


Now, four months into the offseason, Williams’ hard work in the weight room is apparent. He’s up to a rugged 315 pounds after playing at a “light 300” last year, he said.

A player’s first full NFL offseason program is particularly beneficial. During the grind of a rookie season, the goal is simply maintaining weight and strength. Before that, players are in college balancing classes with football and finding the right diet.

Williams has been a standout performer in the voluntary program to this point, improving his rookie strength numbers. He credits his lifting partner, All-Pro guard Zack Martin, and Cowboys director of strength and conditioning Mike Woicik, for support this spring.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/connor-williams-offseason-is-worth-the-weight

315 is good, he can play OG or OT at that weight.

 

[AsthmaField]

The guy is going to be a solid to really good player no matter where he lines up.

His movement skills and overall athleticism are very good for an OL and if he is indeed getting his weight and strength up... he’s going to have a nice season no matter where he plays.

McGovern might push him at LG, but if Williams stays there, I don’t see the rookie beating him out.

I can’t wait to watch the battle for that spot.

 

[Doomsday101]

I had said going into last season he would need an off season to add weight and more strength to play inside. My own view he was not physically ready for the switch to Guard. Glad to see him add that to his game heading into this season

 

[Plankton]

While hearing this is great, what will be more telling is whether he can keep the weight on, and whether it translates to actual functional football strength.

 

[AsthmaField]

315 is good, he can play OG or OT at that weight.

in pictures I’ve seen he appears to be carrying a little bad weight but not much. No doubt he’ll lose some of that in Oxnard and be about right by the start of the season, which is good. I don’t want his mobility limited at all.

 

[CouchCoach]

It's good news week, the players that are supposed to be bigger and stronger and the players that are supposed to be fast are as advertised.

Going to be interesting with the DL, OL and WR predicting who doesn't make the roster instead of looking around for more.

 

[Stash]

The guy is going to be a solid to really good player no matter where he lines up.

His movement skills and overall athleticism are very good for an OL and if he is indeed getting his weight and strength up... he’s going to have a nice season no matter where he plays.

McGovern might push him at LG, but if Williams stays there, I don’t see the rookie beating him out.

I can’t wait to watch the battle for that spot.

I'd love to see him and La'el Collins battle it out at right tackle. I think there are too many mouths to feed for Collins to return after this season, and I think Williams might be able to upgrade the right tackle position, where Collins has never developed into what I thought he would.

 

[AsthmaField]

While hearing this is great, what will be more telling is whether he can keep the weight on, and whether it translates to actual functional football strength.

If he’s been working on his core and his legs, it should. It reassures me that he’s been doing the right workouts to read that he’s working out with Martin.

You’re right though... we need to see it with the pads on to be sure.

 

[AsthmaField]

I'd love to see him and La'el Collins battle it out at right tackle. I think there are too many mouths to feed for Collins to return after this season, and I think Williams might be able to upgrade the right tackle position, where Collins has never developed into what I thought he would.

Yeah, I’ve read your thoughts on that before. IMO we’re about a year away from that. I think they’ll move Williams next offseason and let him compete at RT then.

This season I think they’ll let Williams and McGovern fight it out at LG and have incredible depth inside.

I certainly could be wrong though. I wouldn’t mind seeing Williams and Collins fight it out. I think that McGovern would have to be lighting it up like Martin did his rookie season in order for the team to move Williams this season.

 

[Kaiser]

This season I think they’ll let Williams and McGovern fight it out at LG and have incredible depth inside.

I agree, they could also have Williams as the first option to move to OT in case of injury to Tyron or Collins. Fleming is good as a swing tackle but if one of the starting OTs went down I would rather shift Williams to OT and plug McGovern in at OG instead of having Fleming replace the injured OT.

Regardless we will have tremendous depth at OT and the eerie specter of Chaz Green will be banished from the land.

 

[Walker]

Working with Zack Martin is the best way to spend the off season.

 

[Stash]

Yeah, I’ve read your thoughts on that before. IMO we’re about a year away from that. I think they’ll move Williams next offseason and let him compete at RT then.

I think "then" is too late. You wait until next year to find out and your exact stuck. No La'el Collins to fall back on like you have now.

This season I think they’ll let Williams and McGovern fight it out at LG and have incredible depth inside.

I certainly could be wrong though. I wouldn’t mind seeing Williams and Collins fight it out. I think that McGovern would have to be lighting it up like Martin did his rookie season in order for the team to move Williams this season.

I see three other options that can fight for left guard - Su'a Filo - who had it for a time last year, Joe Looney, who started every game at center, and McGivern, who looks like a plug and play rookie. I think that's more than enough options for left guard.

 

[AsthmaField]

I agree, they could also have Williams as the first option to move to OT in case of injury to Tyron or Collins. Fleming is good as a swing tackle but if one of the starting OTs went down I would rather shift Williams to OT and plug McGovern in at OG instead of having Fleming replace the injured OT.

Regardless we will have tremendous depth at OT and the eerie specter of Chaz Green will be banished from the land.

Yeah the depth on the OL is just about as good as I’ve ever seen in the salary cap era.

McGovern, Looney, XSF, Fleming, and the potential of guys like Hyatt and Puni gives Dallas some serious depth.

You could put together a decent OL just from the reserves.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Yeah the depth on the OL is just about as good as I’ve ever seen in the salary cap era.

McGovern, Looney, XSF, Fleming, and the potential of guys like Hyatt and Puni gives Dallas some serious depth.

You could put together a decent OL just from the reserves.

For real.

Fleming - XSF - Looney - McGovern - Williams is probably a better line than half a dozen teams are fielding, and those guys are our twos.

 

[AsthmaField]

I think "then" is too late. You wait until next year to find out and your exact stuck. No La'el Collins to fall back on like you have now.



I see three other options that can fight for left guard - Su'a Filo - who had it for a time last year, Joe Looney, who started every game at center, and McGivern, who looks like a plug and play rookie. I think that's more than enough options for left guard.

I understand. I don’t think the team will do it though.

IMO, they feel ok enough about Williams’ ability out at tackle and in Fleming at RT to wait until next year to let Williams compete seriously outside.

Inside at LG if McGovern isn’t ready to go as a rookie (I think he very well might be though), I don’t think the team wants to see Looney or XSF as the starter. They likely feel like Collins is better at RT than Looney and XSF are at LG, and wouldn’t want to sit La’el down to get one of those guys on the field.

Of course they could move Collins back inside and let him compete at LG if McGovern isn’t ready to go... but then that is making more moves than the team wants to, I think.

Like I said, I could very well be wrong here, but I think the team will let Collins play out his final year at RT and let the first and second year Connors compete at LG. They probably feel like Williams can make that move in one offseason.

In any event, the line is very deep and talented. I don’t think there really is a wrong decision in this case.

I do feel like Williams will get some time out at RT this training camp though.

 

[Londonboy]

FRISCO, Texas – Pro football is a unique occupation where body weight is a discussion point regarding your job performance.

In Connor Williams’ case, more pounds is a primary step toward building on his 2018 rookie season.

“The main focus during the offseason is strength and getting the power up,” the second-year guard said. “I think I’ve put myself in a good position. Now it’s just about refining the technique and feeling comfortable.”

Williams, the Cowboys’ 2018 second-round draft pick, knew last season he needed to add weight and bulk. An immediate starter at left guard, he had difficulty sustaining a consistent base against veteran pass rushers such as Carolina’s Kawann Short and Washington’s Jonathan Allen.

Williams underwent a knee scope last November and split time at guard with veteran Xavier Su’a-Filo down the stretch, including two starts in playoff games against the Seahawks and Rams.


Now, four months into the offseason, Williams’ hard work in the weight room is apparent. He’s up to a rugged 315 pounds after playing at a “light 300” last year, he said.

A player’s first full NFL offseason program is particularly beneficial. During the grind of a rookie season, the goal is simply maintaining weight and strength. Before that, players are in college balancing classes with football and finding the right diet.

Williams has been a standout performer in the voluntary program to this point, improving his rookie strength numbers. He credits his lifting partner, All-Pro guard Zack Martin, and Cowboys director of strength and conditioning Mike Woicik, for support this spring.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/connor-williams-offseason-is-worth-the-weight

As long as the added bulk doesn't have a negative effect on His fluidic dynamisity.

 

[cowboy_ron]

I'm loving the OL depth.

 

[Ranching]

315 is good, he can play OG or OT at that weight.

I weigh 315, I think I can play RB.