Going into his third season, Buffalo Bills linebacker Dorian Williams has some lighthearted goals. He knows what he can do on the field, and while he鈥檚 looking to build upon that, he鈥檚 also looking at the bigger picture.
鈥淛ust to go out, have fun, compete,鈥 Williams said. 鈥淚 think the end of the day is all about winning. So that鈥檚 all I鈥檓 here to look forward to, is winning and trying to get us a ring.鈥
Williams held his own last season when he filled in for an injured Matt Milano.
With Milano sidelined until Week 13, Williams stepped in as a starter. Even once Milano returned, Williams still got some play time when the team needed his physicality.
Williams finished the regular season with 114 total tackles, which led the Bills.
But now, Milano is entering this season healthy. The challenge this season for Williams is to stay ready.
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Bills coach Sean McDermott is looking for more out of the third-year linebacker.
鈥淐ontinued improvement. We know who he is, and you talk about physicality 鈥 he鈥檚 as physical as there is on our football team,鈥 McDermott said Tuesday. 鈥淗e loves the noise. He loves contact. Now, it鈥檚 can he continue to grow in playing the position, right?鈥
McDermott has seen the game start to slow down for Williams.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e up close to the line of scrimmage, the game moves faster and faster because of the indicators, the triggers,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淪o, the ability to process, you鈥檝e got to be able to process quickly and add up one plus one. And, he鈥檚 really grown in that area, and I think he鈥檚 closing that gap every day.鈥
Linebacker and team captain Terrel Bernard saw Williams take a step last season as the pair started eight games alongside each other. The game reps allowed Williams to build confidence, Bernard said, and now he鈥檚 carrying that into minicamp.
鈥淗onestly, he鈥檚 made a ton of plays already, flying around,鈥 Bernard said Wednesday. 鈥淵ou could tell that he came back, you know, really intentional with his body, with his studying and that type of thing.鈥
Fellow linebacker Joe Andreessen is close with Williams, and he鈥檚 seen a growth in maturity from Williams. Andreessen holds him in high esteem.
鈥淚 think if we didn鈥檛 have an All-Pro (Milano) on the team, you know, (Williams) probably starts for 31 other teams,鈥 Andreessen said Tuesday. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how good he is. I think you see the violence and the physical nature he brings to the game. And, I mean, he鈥檚 making plays every time he鈥檚 out there.鈥
Bills linebackers coach Al Holcomb has seen Williams make 鈥渢remendous, tremendous strides鈥 as he enters Year 3. Part of that growth comes from Williams being on the same page as his coach when it comes to Holcomb鈥檚 style of instructing. The two were able to build that relationship more last season.
鈥淚 try to know what makes each and every player kind of tick a little bit,鈥 Holcomb said Wednesday. 鈥淪o, I think we have a good relationship.鈥
While Williams still may be working on his consistency, his physicality has never been in question.
鈥淗e鈥檚 fearless,鈥 Holcomb said. 鈥淵ou know, when 42 is on the field, people are going to have to know where he is, and the type of energy and physicality that he brings. Doesn鈥檛 matter how big or small, I mean, he鈥檚 always going to bring it, and that鈥檚 the thing you love about him.
鈥淏ecause he plays the game with a little bit of reckless abandon, but that鈥檚 his style of play, and it鈥檚 good for us.鈥
Williams thinks his skillset is complementary to the rest of the group. Even if he鈥檚 not starting, he can still raise the level of the linebacker room, as can each of his teammates. The job for coaches is to see how to use Williams and the rest of the group in different ways to maximize their differences.
鈥淓verybody has a little bit different tool set,鈥 Williams said. 鈥淎nd yeah, I think it鈥檇 be very scary to have all, three, four, five, how many linebackers we can have in there in one time? I think it鈥檇 be very scary for sure.鈥
