Thread: Williams on precipitous slide

Williams on precipitous slide
Bears awaiting production from him not seen since 2006
Dan Pompei


When Bears coaches anointed Roy Williams a starter, I figured the reason they did it would be evident in training camp.

It was not.

Then I figured the reason they did it would be evident in exhibitions.

It is not.

Now, I'm starting to wonder if the reason ever will be evident.

Maybe the light bulb goes on for Williams and he plays like the receiver he was as a Pro Bowler in 2006 with 1,310 receiving yards while playing for Mike Martz. But until that happens, shouldn't Williams be mopping up in the fourth quarter while Johnny Knox runs with the first team?

Williams has pedigree, having been the seventh pick of the 2004 draft. He has history with Martz on the Lions and with receivers coach Darryl Drake at Texas. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he has the size that causes matchup problems.

What he does not have is evidence, at 29, that he is a dynamic receiver.

Let's not delude ourselves.

Since 2006, Williams has not been anywhere near as productive as Knox was in 2010. If Williams has hopes of finding his mojo, he's going to need a time machine to look for it.

Williams was a disappointment to his previous NFL teams. The Lions traded him and the Cowboys cut him.

There were complaints about Knox failing to catch enough of the passes thrown to him last season, but there might be more complaints about Williams. He dropped two of the three thrown his way Monday night against the Giants.

And it isn't as if his hands just petrified when he got here.

As Kevin Seifert pointed out in his NFC North blog on ESPN.com, since 2008, Williams has dropped a higher percentage of passes than any player in the league targeted as least 200 times. He had 19 drops in 231 passes thrown his way, 8.2 percent.

He also had the third-lowest catch percentage in the league over the last three seasons. Williams caught 48.1 percent of the passes thrown to him (111 of 231), which put him ahead of only Braylon Edwards (46.6) and Bryant Johnson (47.3).

Just because a player is a big target doesn't mean he's a reliable one.

So far Williams hasn't had the same kind of connection with Jay Cutler that Earl Bennett has. Maybe that will develop over time.

Maybe Williams will get in better shape over time too. But isn't it a bit alarming when a wide receiver comes to training camp unprepared to run? If it's so difficult to be in shape, why is Williams the only receiver anyone knows who isn't in top shape?

From what I can tell, Knox was ready to run when he reported. And fight. He added about 10 pounds of muscle in an effort to be more physical.

Apparently Knox has taken the blame for many of the pass plays that went awry last season, especially late in the year. Some of his route depths were off. His adjustments were incorrect.

Yet he still finished 40 yards shy of 1,000 yards and averaged 18.8 yards per catch, tied for fifth best in the NFL among receivers who had at least 20.

Knox is just 24. He is in his third season out of Abilene Christian. He has some abilities that can't be coached. There is every reason to believe he will get better if he is handled properly.

Williams? Not so sure.

Whereas the Bears have made a commitment to player development at other positions (left tackle, right tackle, right guard, free safety, under tackle and defensive end), if they aren't careful they might foster player stagnation at receiver.

Knox is a sensitive young guy. If he does not respond well to this treatment, it won't be a surprise.

It would be a shame to waste his talent.

Bennett, too has gotten lost in the training-camp shuffle, as he usually does. Coaches shouldn't go to sleep on him either. He is the Bears' most dependable receiver, and he is a clutch player.

It still is early, especially given the unusual nature of this training camp. So we shouldn't overreact.

But if there is any evidence to suggest the Bears are a better offense with Williams on the field instead of either Bennett or Knox, now would be a good time to start seeing it.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports....column?page=2