Like all teams, the Cleveland Browns made a flurry of moves after the roster-cutdown frenzy. Some of those decisions — like not bringing Luke Floriea back for the practice squad — have been major head-scratchers.
That was also the case when the Browns picked former Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Sam Williams over Julian Okwara. While Williams is a former second-round pick and just 27 years old, his numbers in Arlington weren't that solid, and the fact that they cut him loose shortly after giving him a one-year extension was a bit of a red flag.
That said, there's more to Williams than what meets the eye. As ESPN insider Daniel Oyefusi pointed out on Tuesday, Williams' advanced stats show that he could actually be a sneaky-good addition to the Browns' pass-rushing unit.
"Last season, Williams had a 12.8% pass rush win rate as an edge defender, which ranked 23rd out of 53 qualifying players," Oyefusi wrote. "For reference, Jared Verse ranked 22nd with a 12.9% pass rush win rate."
One overlooked pass-rushing metric points to untapped upside for Sam Williams in Cleveland
Williams will join a defensive end room that also features the likes of Jared Verse, Isaiah McGuire, and Derek Barnett. They added Okwara to the practice squad, and Mike Hall Jr. can also play off the edge in certain packages.
Of course, trading Myles Garrett was already a questionable decision, and losing Alex Wright for the season only made matters more complicated. But with Verse's potential, inserting Williams as the No. 4 defensive end behind McGuire and Barnett might not be bad at all.
Williams' lack of pass-rushing moves can be a concern, but he's been a part of some pretty brutal defenses. The Cowboys have changed defensive coordinators every year he's been in the league, and that lack of continuity can certainly stall a player's development.
The Browns have found success with reclamation projects in the past. Not so long ago, Devin Bush didn't even look like an NFL player, let alone a former first-round pick, yet he played like a true star once he arrived in Berea.
Wright is more of a specialist against the run than a pure pass rusher, so there's an avenue for some playing time right out of the gate if he plays well. He's an explosive athlete who was rarely put in a position to succeed, and he never played opposite a player of Verse's caliber.
Of course, the fans have every right to be skeptical, but it's not like those Cowboys' defenses had much to show for his time there. Context matters, and we've seen how much being in the right place can help a player turn the corner almost right away.
Still, the Browns will most likely continue to look for veteran help at the position. They swung and missed with Jadeveon Clowney and Za'Darius Smith, so unless Williams proves to be the real deal early on, this room might go through more changes in the coming months.
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