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Vagabond Williams ready to settle down

Broncos linebacker returns to weak-side role this season

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 15, 2008 at 8:53 p.m.

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D.J. Williams had 141 tackles at middle linebacker last season, including this stop against Kansas City's Dwayne Bowe.

Photo by Barry Gutierrez / The Rocky/2007

D.J. Williams had 141 tackles at middle linebacker last season, including this stop against Kansas City's Dwayne Bowe.

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If the NFL allowed advertising on uniforms, a la the stock-car set, D.J. Williams would be a shoo-in for a U-Haul patch on his jersey.

The Broncos' roaming linebacker played the weak side as a rookie in 2004, switched between weak and strong the next year, returned to weak side his third year and manned the middle in 2007. Now, he's back at the weak side again.

"Sometimes you do things that are best for the team and it's not best for you," Williams told a small media gathering Tuesday in his first public comments this offseason. "I feel like if I played one position all four years, I could probably be the top guy at my position or one of the top guys at the weak-side position. Changing every year kind of stunts your growth.

"But at the same time, I've got knowledge."

Williams also noted he understands the reasoning behind each of his moves, even while he admitted, "I haven't been happy about the movement."

"I already feel like a little knock-around guy, like hey, we can put him here, we can throw him there. But just as long as I was successful at the position. The only position I didn't like playing was 'Sam' (strong side). I hated 'Sam.' But the thing about that is I had the size to play 'Sam.' "

The latest switch comes after the Broncos acquired in free agency Boss Bailey to man the strong side and Niko Koutouvides the middle, while releasing incumbent weak-side starter Ian Gold.

Williams was "surprised" he was returning to weak side, especially after his 141 tackles ranked second in the NFL last season behind San Francisco's Patrick Willis.

"I enjoyed playing 'Mike' last year. I had fun. I thought I caught on well at the end," he said.

But when the roster flux began, it became clear he'd be shifting again.

"The team decided to move me back to 'Will,' so that's what I'm doing," he said.

Williams feels he can adjust again, especially this time because he considers weak side the easiest of the three linebacker spots and he's most experienced there, dating to his days at the University of Miami.

Truth be told, though, it's his fervent hope he can stay put.

In 2004, Williams was third behind the New York Jets' Jonathan Vilma and the Houston Texans' Dunta Robinson for defensive rookie of the year honors before Gold's reacquisition sent him on his merry, and sometimes not so merry, way.

"If I would have played 'Will' every year here, this would be my ninth year playing 'Will' because I played it all through college," he said. "A lot of things come second nature. But at the same time, the fact that I changed a lot of positions, it puts your value up. You're a guy who can be put anywhere."

And there figure to be teams interested in Williams when he's set to hit the open market after this season. His 2009 contract year already has been voided based on reaching playing-time benchmarks.

Williams stressed his consistent shifts in Denver on the playing field don't mean another move in the future - this one out of town.

"I like the organization. I like the city. I love how coach (Mike) Shanahan takes care of his players, as far as physically, the offseason program," Williams said. "Everybody around the facility, I like everybody."

ETC.: The Broncos signed punter Danny Baugher, who was cut by Cincinnati after Kyle Larson re-signed with the Bengals in free agency. Baugher also spent time on New England's practice squad. . . . The Broncos officially added receiver Samie Parker, who spent the last four years with Kansas City.

Comments

  • April 16, 2008

    1 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    waytoolongemailaddress writes:

    classy guy, in an era with guys like Javon Walker not even wanting to compete for #1 and possibly ending up as #2 WR....Thank You DJ!

  • April 16, 2008

    9 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Squatch writes:

    So most likely the Broncos will wait till the end of the season and lowball a guy that has put the team ahead of himself. Do the right thing Shanny and give him his contract before the season starts.

  • April 16, 2008

    2:26 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    OhBrother writes:

    This guy is great. I am not a broncos fan-but a buddy of mine lost everything to a house fire about 2 years ago and somehow DJ found out, invited him over and gave him about an entire closet worth of clothes and shoes! He didn't have to do that, he didn't know my friend at all.

    clothes might not sound important but when you have nothing it really matters! Ecspecialy becuase they are around the same size, it was a perfect situation. I will always be a fan of DJ no matter what team he plays on. DJ's THE MAN!

  • April 16, 2008

    3:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    vish1717 writes:

    please sign DJ this year and leave him on the weakside for good and draft a MLB next year

  • April 16, 2008

    3:57 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    OhBrother writes:

    I agree 100%, he is weakside and good at it. Putting him at MLB was mistake as he is under sized for that position.

  • April 16, 2008

    4:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Squatch writes:

    OhBrother - hat is incredible I hope your friend got back on his feet. That gives me even more of a reason to cheer this guy on come football season.

    The funny thing is im sure there are plenty of stories like this with the current atheltes in town but we never hear of them only the negetive. Im sure though if DJ had it his way he still would have kept it quite since he did it to help your friend not to get public attention.