The Baltimore Ravens have had many talented defensive lineman have long and illustrious careers with the franchise. Players such as Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg, Tony Siragusa and many other phenomenal defensive linemen have come and gone through Baltimore, and that includes Brandon Williams.
Williams has been a mainstay on the Ravens’ defensive line ever since being selected in the third round of the 2013 draft by the team out of Missouri Southern. His impact both on and off of the field has been undeniable, but after finishing up his ninth professional season, there are questions as to whether Baltimore and/or Williams will be interested in reuniting during 2022 free agency.
The veteran defensive lineman totaled 35 tackles in 13 games with the Ravens in 2021. He started the season off very slow, struggling to show some of the skills that he put on display so often during the early portion of his career. He missed some time with a shoulder injury towards the middle part of the year, and came back much stronger and finished the season on a high note.
There has been plenty of conversation as to whether Williams was worth the five-year, $52.5 million contract that he signed with Baltimore that kicked in at the start of 2017. Williams isn’t exactly known as a three-down player, as he only has 6.5 career sacks to his name. Having over $10 million in average annual value tied up in a pure run-stuffer was the cause of a lot of controversy, and with Williams’ somewhat declining play, it became a point of contention among many.
Even though Williams is now 32 years old, his impact in the run game has been massive. He’s a big part in why the Ravens have had many good years of stuffing the run ever since his arrival, and when he’s off of the field there is a clear difference in how the team is able to stop opposing rushing attacks.
Williams has been a valuable player for a long time. He has also turned into a leader, something which is very important for some of the younger defensive linemen on the roster. It’s fair to say that Williams could return if both sides can agree on a one-year, team friendly contract. However, with a choice between Williams and Calais Campbell being a possibility for Baltimore as they look to likely rebuild their defensive line, Williams could be the odd-man out. If that does end up being the case, it won’t take away from all that he’s done for the organization over the years.