The Los Angeles Rams’ defense will look a lot different in 2020 after a number of key veterans players departed in free agency this offseason.
If they want to get back to the postseason after finishing 9-7 a year ago, they will have to rely on young players to step up and fill the roles of the players no longer in the organization like Cory Littleton, Dante Fowler Jr., Clay Matthews and Nickell Robey-Coleman
One of those young players is cornerback Darious Williams, who stepped up and played solid football down the stretch for the Rams in 2019, appearing in 12 games (three starts) and recording 15 total tackles, four passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
After going undrafted out of Alabama-Birmingham, Williams is entering his third NFL season. The Rams originally claimed him off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens in 2018.
He will be competing with Troy Hill for the Rams’ second starting cornerback spot along with Troy Hill, and new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is high on the skillset he brings to the table, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“Darius Williams is a guy that played really good football here for this group in the last couple games,” Staley said in May during the team’s virtual offseason program. “I think this guy can cover, he’s got a really good skillset for corner, can run, he can change direction, he can play the ball in the deep part of the field. He’s got a good body.”
Williams got an opportunity to start the last three games of last season after Hill went down with an injury, putting him on the radar of the Rams’ coaching staff with some strong play.
Even if he doesn’t earn a starting spot in training camp, he should see plenty of playing time this season and hopefully will be a big reason for the Rams’ turnaround moving forward.
