Inside The Star
Every offseason it seems like I see a linebacker’s name pop up that the Cowboys need to get to help the defense. This year it may be Quincy Williams.
Could he be the guy the middle of the defense is missing?
I’ve seen some reactions, and when you dig into the type of player he is the coverage numbers may make you second guess. And honestly, I get it because it doesn’t look pretty.
When you actually dig into how Quincy Williams plays, and how he is used, the conversation changes fast.
So let’s talk it through like fans, not scouts trying to sound smart.
Quincy Williams is not a coverage linebacker, and he never has been. He will not be floating around in space trying to run with slot receivers or carry tight ends down the seams.
When you look at the snap data, it’s not even debatable. He spent hundreds of snaps in the box, very few on the edge, only a handful in the slot, and almost none on the outside.
That tells you exactly how defenses should play him.
He is there to attack downhill.
If you judge this man based on coverage stats alone, you’re grading a fish on how well it climbs trees.
What I like about Quincy Williams is simple: when he sees it, he goes. There’s no dancing, no waiting for someone else to make the play. He triggers fast and shows up with bad intentions.
Is he perfect? Absolutely not, but were any of the Cowboys linebackers last season even above average.
He will miss a tackle here and there because of his aggressive play style, but I’ll take that every day over a linebacker who catches blocks and gets pancaked.
What I found even more impressive was he lines up all over the box. He can play weak side, strong side, and take inside looks, but he rarely just sat in the middle calling things out.
He’s a flow-and-hunt guy, so the Cowboys would need to let him scrape, chase, and hit.
That is where his game makes sense.
This may be another area where people will get twisted.
Yes, you will see him walked up near the line sometimes, but he’s not an edge rusher.
He is not winning with moves or stacking sacks. Those snaps are about pressure and confusion to make the offense account for him, mess with protection calls, and let the defense work around it.
He’s a blitzer, not a technician, and if used incorrectly, it looks ugly.
Here is where I start leaning in.
The Dallas Cowboys don’t need another linebacker who looks great on paper and disappears when things get physical. I’m looking at you, Kenneth Murray.
What this defense has missed at times is...
