CFZ Position Flex: Sam Williams Will Probably Play Similar Role to Parsons

[Pass2Run]

Not to get ahead of ourselves but Clark is also a similar player to Parsons. It looks like Quinn wants pass rushers coming from every angle. Can you imagine the complicated pass rushes the Cowboys will have with 3 linebackers in Parsons, Clark, and Williams in the game with Tank, Fowler, Osa, Gholston, ect. With safeties like Wilson and Kearse possibly blitzing as well. Can’t wait!!!!!

Yeah, you have to have guys who can stop the run too. But I'm on board with what you're saying, in general.

According to other posters on here, Clark has a chance at even playing in 2022.

 

[baltcowboy]

Yeah, you have to have guys who can stop the run too. But I'm on board with what you're saying, in general.

According to other posters on here, Clark has a chance at even playing in 2022.

I hear posters complaining about the run defense but the only team that had success running the ball on the Cowboys constantly was San Francisco. We pretty much shut their run game down in the second half and the defense played well enough to win the game. The defense made stops and gave the Cowboys the ball back with a chance to win the game twice. You really think the Eagles will run the ball down our throats?

 

[quickccc]

This post is mostly about Sam Williams, because I think when I look at Sam Williams, and his capabilities, I see a lot of similarities between Williams and Parsons. Like, Parsons, I believe Williams has position flex and can play linebacker in certain packages and plays.

Like Parsons, Williams is a freak athlete who can probably also play a little linebacker — maybe even a little safety.
But the other common element among guys in this draft is position flex.

To Sam Williams, especially, though, edge slash linebacker, changes the scope of the defense, and compliments Parsons abilities very well.

Let's keep it moving here.
Jalen Tolbert, Jack of all Trades, who can play outside or in the slot.

Jake Ferguson, even, a tight end/h-back type player. (OK, maybe he's the outlier here). It wouldn't surprise me to see him get some work at FB in some packages.
And we also have - Matt Waletzko, the swing tackle.

Damone Clark can rush the passer under Dan Quinn's system as a linebacker?
Daron Bland played CB in college, but looks more like an NFL free safety, and it's interesting to ponder all of this position flex!

Micah Parson's talent: athletic freakishness and position flex.

So let's talk about Williams' versatility. - Is Williams just an edge rusher?
I'm seeing us as a top 3 defense this year.

- I hope Sam i Am Williams becomes a bigger Robert Quinn version, that becomes much better vs run - even before he is exposed to NFL level strength program - he is already bigger than either Gregory or Robert Quinn. . .Gregory entered the NFL as 237 lb edger, while Quinn is still in the 251 lbs area .
Williams is already 260 lb area. already chiseled in his rookie year.

- i really hope fans don't get overhyped and cast an All pro tag on Williams- or get disappointed when he hits rookie speed bumps
let him grow into learning the NFL trenches, adjust to NFL pace. He could be slow out of the gates, but come on later half as he adjusts.

- He 's not as wiry-rubbery agile and contour flexible as Gregory. but he has more to offer now with being 260 frame.
Gregory and Parsons can get really skinny between the blocking cracks in the line and shoulder
I'm interested to see his first step and how he explodes off the line at the snap. - but it's gonna take some time

- Quinn is using Parsons from end to end, ..and in the middle of the DL, constantly exposing several RBs in pass blocking
we don't even see TJ Watts coming up the middle the way Parsons is doing.. that's the advantage of Quinn moving MP around
to gain mismatches ... eventually we'll see Williams move from end to end as Gregory did , .but i don't see the two as similar.

 

[quickccc]

I hear posters complaining about the run defense but the only team that had success running the ball on the Cowboys constantly was San Francisco. We pretty much shut their run game down in the second half and the defense played well enough to win the game. The defense made stops and gave the Cowboys the ball back with a chance to win the game twice. You really think the Eagles will run the ball down our throats?

Then you fell asleep or closed your eyes during some key season moments when we were exposed vs run
such as Denver ramming the ball down our throat ....Pats also did the same ... as did even NYGiants
You seem to be basing it off one game .. whereas they were telling tales in our inability to stop the run

 

[Typhus]

So, yes, true. As a mix, we can essentially play the 4-3 and 3-4 interchangeably, so-to-speak. So I agree on those points.

We also got Damone Clark for 2023!

Guy is a beast!

I remember when we drafted him, Dave Helman called it.

Broadus was like, "nah, I'm in the business of drafting healthy players."

Helman, with his short man complex snaps back, "it's not that kind of pick!"

And sure enough, they call Clark's number.

I actually love listening to Broadus, just because he's chatty and can create conversation, and he doesn't take himself too seriously, like Helman. But Helman got him on that one. lol

Clark was being ranked right with Lloyd and Dean up until the discovery, he played with it and has said that he was never even aware or concerned, then discovered at the combine by I believe Cowboys medical,
Im not 100 percent sure, someone can confirm.
A 5th round pick for a potential solid red shirt candidate is nice all by itself, a possible in season return to action would be significant.

 

[Typhus]

And on paper I don’t see anything they’ve done to suggest they can stop the run better. They didn’t address that I guess they expect guys from within to get better at it.

Thats the equation currently, and out side of a trade its time for this young DL to step up.
Gallimore
Osa
Hill
Bohanna
Ridgeway
Watkins
This defense needs a playmaker or two from this group.

 

[Pass2Run]

I hear posters complaining about the run defense but the only team that had success running the ball on the Cowboys constantly was San Francisco. We pretty much shut their run game down in the second half and the defense played well enough to win the game. The defense made stops and gave the Cowboys the ball back with a chance to win the game twice. You really think the Eagles will run the ball down our throats?

The 49ers created the matchups they wanted. Things that usually worked well for us didn't, because San Fran was the most prepared team we faced in all of 2021. They know their history well. It seems like we forgot San Fran was ever our arch rival. Really, though, even Parson wasn't nearly as effective as he usually was, because they prepared and had ways to respond, when before, with other teams, there just wasn't the kind of response from the offensive side to stop the Parson's defense.

- I hope Sam i Am Williams becomes a bigger Robert Quinn version, that becomes much better vs run - even before he is exposed to NFL level strength program - he is already bigger than either Gregory or Robert Quinn. . .Gregory entered the NFL as 237 lb edger, while Quinn is still in the 251 lbs area .
Williams is already 260 lb area. already chiseled in his rookie year.

- i really hope fans don't get overhyped and cast an All pro tag on Williams- or get disappointed when he hits rookie speed bumps
let him grow into learning the NFL trenches, adjust to NFL pace. He could be slow out of the gates, but come on later half as he adjusts.

- He 's not as wiry-rubbery agile and contour flexible as Gregory. but he has more to offer now with being 260 frame.
Gregory and Parsons can get really skinny between the blocking cracks in the line and shoulder
I'm interested to see his first step and how he explodes off the line at the snap. - but it's gonna take some time

- Quinn is using Parsons from end to end, ..and in the middle of the DL, constantly exposing several RBs in pass blocking
we don't even see TJ Watts coming up the middle the way Parsons is doing.. that's the advantage of Quinn moving MP around
to gain mismatches ... eventually we'll see Williams move from end to end as Gregory did , .but i don't see the two as similar.

I think one area we'll be happy about is how many tackles for a loss Sam Williams gets.

I see the two as being pretty similar, as in if Parsons was out, William could fill in his pass rusher role and role at interior LB. People are somehow forgetting how much Ole MIss moved Williams around the line. He was a DT, DE, LB, essentially in their defnse.

Clark was being ranked right with Lloyd and Dean up until the discovery, he played with it and has said that he was never even aware or concerned, then discovered at the combine by I believe Cowboys medical,
Im not 100 percent sure, someone can confirm.
A 5th round pick for a potential solid red shirt candidate is nice all by itself, a possible in season return to action would be significant.

If we hit on Damone Clark, who I think his going to be hands down better than Nakobe Dean, then it was an A - draft, at the very worst.

 

[baltcowboy]

Then you fell asleep or closed your eyes during some key season moments when we were exposed vs run
such as Denver ramming the ball down our throat ....Pats also did the same ... as did even NYGiants
You seem to be basing it off one game .. whereas they were telling tales in our inability to stop the run

The Giants? We blew them out both games. Denver game. Denver??? Offense was stuffed. I could pick Arizona, Los Vegas, and Tampa to complain about the pass defense. You are knit picking. The defense is the best part of the team.

 

[baltcowboy]

The 49ers created the matchups they wanted. Things that usually worked well for us didn't, because San Fran was the most prepared team we faced in all of 2021. They know their history well. It seems like we forgot San Fran was ever our arch rival. Really, though, even Parson wasn't nearly as effective as he usually was, because they prepared and had ways to respond, when before, with other teams, there just wasn't the kind of response from the offensive side to stop the Parson's defense.




I think one area we'll be happy about is how many tackles for a loss Sam Williams gets.

I see the two as being pretty similar, as in if Parsons was out, William could fill in his pass rusher role and role at interior LB. People are somehow forgetting how much Ole MIss moved Williams around the line. He was a DT, DE, LB, essentially in their defnse.




If we hit on Damone Clark, who I think his going to be hands down better than Nakobe Dean, then it was an A - draft, at the very worst.

They ran right at Gregory.

 

[quickccc]

The Giants? We blew them out both games. Denver game. Denver??? Offense was stuffed. I could pick Arizona, Los Vegas, and Tampa to complain about the pass defense. You are knit picking. The defense is the best part of the team.

It's not about the score and blow out win ... it was about how we still gave up yards rushing ... and that was a sign of past crimes and signs of things to come ..

" Denver game ? ... Denver game ?" oh yes the Denver game ...where we got steam-rolled by Denver RB Javonte Williams (signs of things to come)

Now how did we go from discussion about the run defense concerns .. to talking about the questions of the pass defense ?
i thought it brewed around what Niners eventually did to us vs run in the playoffs ?

Irony is even before the Niners playoff game, some were already expressing concerns if the Niners would "out-physical " our defense
..and guess what ? They Did ..!!

We cannot be rah-rah bias and ignore our weakness.. how else would we address and fix them if we ignore it ?

 

[quickccc]

The 49ers created the matchups they wanted. Things that usually worked well for us didn't, because San Fran was the most prepared team we faced in all of 2021. They know their history well. It seems like we forgot San Fran was ever our arch rival.

Really, though, even Parson wasn't nearly as effective as he usually was, because they prepared and had ways to respond, when before, with other teams, there just wasn't the kind of response from the offensive side to stop the Parson's defense.




I think one area we'll be happy about is how many tackles for a loss Sam Williams gets.

I see the two as being pretty similar, as in if Parsons was out, William could fill in his pass rusher role and role at interior LB. People are somehow forgetting how much Ole MIss moved Williams around the line. He was a DT, DE, LB, essentially in their defnse.

If we hit on Damone Clark, who I think his going to be hands down better than Nakobe Dean, then it was an A - draft, at the very worst.

Hopes it works out for Damone Clark, just as i am with Jabril Cox (ACL) ... two prior LSU Linebackers who played together But they are unknowns, and Clark is
not likely to play this year with neck recovery, which is still a concern with me both short and long term.

The two areas we'd have to find out is
1) how will these two ex-LSU backers performed vs the run,.?
2) are they instinctive ?

- With LVE, i tend to think his instincts are off, ditto with Jaylon Smith ,, a huge reason why we struggled vs screens were the LBs were too easily fooled by misdirection.
That was another big reason why Rams playoff game with all the pre-snap motion and multi- sets, our defense was that much vulnerable vs the run, and the LBs
so often out of position .. LVE was eventually benched for his poor play for Sean Lee ,.. Jaylon shouldve been benched too, but who else was available ?

- Gratifying to learn Clark was among the finalists for Dick Butkus award for best LB in College football ( an honor that went to Philly's Nakobe Dean)
But i believe Jaylon was also a winner of the Butkus award, so that makes me leary of college can make you look better than what happens at the next
level in the NFL .

 

[baltcowboy]

It's not about the score and blow out win ... it was about how we still gave up yards rushing ... and that was a sign of past crimes and signs of things to come ..

" Denver game ? ... Denver game ?" oh yes the Denver game ...where we got steam-rolled by Denver RB Javonte Williams (signs of things to come)

Now how did we go from discussion about the run defense concerns .. to talking about the questions of the pass defense ?
i thought it brewed around what Niners eventually did to us vs run in the playoffs ?

Irony is even before the Niners playoff game, some were already expressing concerns if the Niners would "out-physical " our defense
..and guess what ? They Did ..!!

We cannot be rah-rah bias and ignore our weakness.. how else would we address and fix them if we ignore it ?

Denver defense destroyed our offensive line and Teddy Bridgewater played the game of his life. Another game were the offense let down the defense. That was our worst offensive game of the year. You keep bringing up the Giants running the ball. We stuffed Barkley. I guess you only remember two runs by the backup running back that led to 6 points.

 

[KJJ]

Sam Williams will get plenty of pass rushing opportunities which will likely reduce Parsons sack numbers. I think the Cowboys would prefer having Parsons at linebacker more often so he can use his sideline to sideline playmaking ability. He’ll certainly get his share of pass rushing opportunities but I don’t expect him to be playing off the edge as much this season as he did last season unless our pass rush is lacking. Parsons appeared to be tiring out at the end of last season. He didn’t seem to show up as much the final few games as he did earlier in the season and wasn’t all that effective against San Francisco in the playoffs.

 

[baltcowboy]

The 49ers created the matchups they wanted. Things that usually worked well for us didn't, because San Fran was the most prepared team we faced in all of 2021. They know their history well. It seems like we forgot San Fran was ever our arch rival. Really, though, even Parson wasn't nearly as effective as he usually was, because they prepared and had ways to respond, when before, with other teams, there just wasn't the kind of response from the offensive side to stop the Parson's defense.




I think one area we'll be happy about is how many tackles for a loss Sam Williams gets.

I see the two as being pretty similar, as in if Parsons was out, William could fill in his pass rusher role and role at interior LB. People are somehow forgetting how much Ole MIss moved Williams around the line. He was a DT, DE, LB, essentially in their defnse.




If we hit on Damone Clark, who I think his going to be hands down better than Nakobe Dean, then it was an A - draft, at the very worst.

What is all the love with Dean. He played linebacker behind the greatest defensive line in college football history. Dean is 5’11, slow and did not work out for any team. There is a reason he was third round pick. I guess because draftknicks like Voch/Cavanaugh say he is a top 10 prospect and the Eagles drafted him he is now Parsons.

 

[Chuck 54]

Sam Williams is no LB…..period.
He hasn’t played LB. I’m sure he will pass rush from both 3 pt and 2 pt stances. I’m sure he will occasionally line up off the line and move around to pass rush from different spots. Like any DE, he will occasionally drop into a zone coverage while someone else blitzes. But he’s not going to play Sam, Mike, or Will lb the way Parsons does.

 

[AsthmaField]

What is all the love with Dean. He played linebacker behind the greatest defensive line in college football history. Dean is 5’11, slow and did not work out for any team. There is a reason he was third round pick. I guess because draftknicks like Voch/Cavanaugh say he is a top 10 prospect and the Eagles drafted him he is now Parsons.

You know how it goes. Fans don’t know these college prospects at all and then, they learn all they can in the 3 month lead-up to the draft. Unsurprisingly, most fans learn about these players from mock drafts, assorted media, and media wannabe’s who are in turn building their boards by looking at all the other mock drafts around the Internet.

Meanwhile, teams are talking to scouts who they paid to actually go on-campus, meet these prospects, watch their games live and talk to their coaches and team mates. The teams are also bringing in prospects to their headquarters to interview them personally. This is after flying to the Senior Bowl, the Combine in Indy, and numerous Pro-Days. Then, groups of highly paid professionals who have spent their whole lives playing, coaching and scouting football take all of that information and for weeks do nothing but brainstorm over all of the information they gathered leading all the way up to draft day.

Multiply all that by 32 teams and we get an idea of the vast amount of football and medical information the NFL has about these players.

So when all 32 teams pass on a player like Dean for almost three rounds, what do most fans do? Of course they think the teams are wrong and that since Pete Prisco said he was a first round player, that’s exactly what he is. That getting a player like Dean would be getting another first round pick since that’s where he was mocked by fan sites and media… who all get their opinions mostly from cross-pollination among their own opinions. Forget that the teams clearly didn’t see him as a first (or second) round player.

If you think about it, it’s kind of crazy. One NFL team has more information on a player than all the websites combined. When all 32 teams see something the same way, it usually is that way.

None of that is to imply that teams can’t be wrong. They clearly can be as Tom Brady and Ryan Leaf draft stories show. But, remember about those… all of the draft sites and media were on-board with popular opinion about both of those guys. Websites were wondering if Leaf was better than Manning and none of them were saying Brady would be the Goat.

Dean might be great, but if I have to lean on someone else’s opinion about him, I’d choose the 32 teams and not some guy from PFT.

 

[Mr_437]

For me, first I have to see if Sam Williams can beat out Fowler n Armstrong for RDE1. Can Sam really replace Randy Gregory? SW will get plenty pass rush snaps off the edge whether starting or rotating. DLaw rushes as a 3T sometimes also, freeing up a spot outside. So, I feel Sam will rotate at DE only.

If Parsons gets a QB hunting buddy on the 2nd level I look for him to be an actual LB. Dan Quinn has brought in speed at LB, and these guys are good at blitzing the QB; while, providing a better coverage player to matchup with RBs/TEs. Clark had 15 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, and Harper had 11 TFLs, 6 sacks last season...don't get it twisted these new LBs are pressure players too.

 

[baltcowboy]

You know how it goes. Fans don’t know these college prospects at all and then, they learn all they can in the 3 month lead-up to the draft. Unsurprisingly, most fans learn about these players from mock drafts, assorted media, and media wannabe’s who are in turn building their boards by looking at all the other mock drafts around the Internet.

Meanwhile, teams are talking to scouts who they paid to actually go on-campus, meet these prospects, watch their games live and talk to their coaches and team mates. The teams are also bringing in prospects to their headquarters to interview them personally. This is after flying to the Senior Bowl, the Combine in Indy, and numerous Pro-Days. Then, groups of highly paid professionals who have spent their whole lives playing, coaching and scouting football take all of that information and for weeks do nothing but brainstorm over all of the information they gathered leading all the way up to draft day.

Multiply all that by 32 teams and we get an idea of the vast amount of football and medical information the NFL has about these players.

So when all 32 teams pass on a player like Dean for almost three rounds, what do most fans do? Of course they think the teams are wrong and that since Pete Prisco said he was a first round player, that’s exactly what he is. That getting a player like Dean would be getting another first round pick since that’s where he was mocked by fan sites and media… who all get their opinions mostly from cross-pollination among their own opinions. Forget that the teams clearly didn’t see him as a first (or second) round player.

If you think about it, it’s kind of crazy. One NFL team has more information on a player than all the websites combined. When all 32 teams see something the same way, it usually is that way.

None of that is to imply that teams can’t be wrong. They clearly can be as Tom Brady and Ryan Leaf draft stories show. But, remember about those… all of the draft sites and media were on-board with popular opinion about both of those guys. Websites were wondering if Leaf was better than Manning and none of them were saying Brady would be the Goat.

Dean might be great, but if I have to lean on someone else’s opinion about him, I’d choose the 32 teams and not some guy from PFT.

Good post. We have discussed it before in other drafts. I am just frustrated will Cowboys insiders who say without any knowledge that Tyler Smith is not going to be good this year like it is absolute fact. Then you have guys on the draft show pretending to be scouts because they sit next to Broaddus for a few hours a week. I guess I am still butt hurt by the Parsons talk when he was drafted. True nobody knew he was going to be the pass rusher that he was but I watch Penn St. games and it was clear this guy as a sophomore was on another level. Just pisses me off.

 

[Pass2Run]

Hopes it works out for Damone Clark, just as i am with Jabril Cox (ACL) ... two prior LSU Linebackers who played together But they are unknowns, and Clark is
not likely to play this year with neck recovery, which is still a concern with me both short and long term.

The two areas we'd have to find out is
1) how will these two ex-LSU backers performed vs the run,.?
2) are they instinctive ?

- With LVE, i tend to think his instincts are off, ditto with Jaylon Smith ,, a huge reason why we struggled vs screens were the LBs were too easily fooled by misdirection.
That was another big reason why Rams playoff game with all the pre-snap motion and multi- sets, our defense was that much vulnerable vs the run, and the LBs
so often out of position .. LVE was eventually benched for his poor play for Sean Lee ,.. Jaylon shouldve been benched too, but who else was available ?

- Gratifying to learn Clark was among the finalists for Dick Butkus award for best LB in College football ( an honor that went to Philly's Nakobe Dean)
But i believe Jaylon was also a winner of the Butkus award, so that makes me leary of college can make you look better than what happens at the next
level in the NFL .

Agree, especially on that last part.

The Butkus award is simply a college linebacker award. They don't seem to award it for the most talented, just who played the best in college. It's not indicative of how they will play in the NFL.

Sam Williams will get plenty of pass rushing opportunities which will likely reduce Parsons sack numbers. I think the Cowboys would prefer having Parsons at linebacker more often so he can use his sideline to sideline playmaking ability. He’ll certainly get his share of pass rushing opportunities but I don’t expect him to be playing off the edge as much this season as he did last season unless our pass rush is lacking. Parsons appeared to be tiring out at the end of last season. He didn’t seem to show up as much the final few games as he did earlier in the season and wasn’t all that effective against San Francisco in the playoffs.

That's right. Parsons sort of disappeared. But it wasn't entirely his fault.

You can only ask him to do so much. He can only be so many places at one time, etc.

For me, first I have to see if Sam Williams can beat out Fowler n Armstrong for RDE1. Can Sam really replace Randy Gregory? SW will get plenty pass rush snaps off the edge whether starting or rotating. DLaw rushes as a 3T sometimes also, freeing up a spot outside. So, I feel Sam will rotate at DE only.

If Parsons gets a QB hunting buddy on the 2nd level I look for him to be an actual LB. Dan Quinn has brought in speed at LB, and these guys are good at blitzing the QB; while, providing a better coverage player to matchup with RBs/TEs. Clark had 15 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, and Harper had 11 TFLs, 6 sacks last season...don't get it twisted these new LBs are pressure players too.

They all seem to compliment the things we do with Parsons.

 

[Pass2Run]

You seem like someone who does their research.

Any shot Clark is able to get on the field this year? If so I wonder if they take the chance on playing him.

His closing speed is ridiculous. Seems like the perfect MLB. This defense has a shot to be very special.

I'm sorry I replied to the wrong person when I responded to this.

Thing is, I don't know. Some say yes, some say no.. I tend to say no. But I really don't know. lol

If he's back in 2023, this is who we get.