Mario Williams used to be considered one of the NFL’s elite pass rushers, but he has fallen off a lot since that point in time. He has fallen off so much, in fact, that the Miami Dolphins are widely expected to cut Williams this offseason in order to save some money for the upcoming free agency period.
According to ESPN’s James Walker, Williams is one of the top options for the Dolphins to be a salary cap cut this offseason.
During the 2016 season with the Dolphins, Williams ended up recording just 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He didn’t seem to have any explosion in the 13 games that he played in the regular season. Those numbers are not going to cut it for a player like Williams who made nearly $4.5 million for the season.
At 31 years of age, Williams doesn’t have a whole lot of time left to turn his career around. There is no question that he still has the ability to make a difference for a defense, but it will take a lot of hard work and dedication in order to take that ability and turn it into reality.
Looking ahead at the upcoming offseason, there will be a few different teams in need of pass rushing help. Williams will not be at the top of free agency wish lists, but he is a “Plan B” type of option. He likely won’t sign early on in free agency, but will be in the final tier of free agents that find deals.
Injuries did play a part in Williams’ disappointing 2016 season, which could help his cause to get a new contract for next season. That being said, teams could simply see an injury plagued 31-year-old defensive end who is a shell of his former self.
All of that being said, expect to see Williams end up being cut by the Dolphins and let go into free agency.
What teams do you think will show interest in signing Mario Williams this offseason? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
