The upcoming NFL free agency class is not only filled with blockbuster names but also with under-the-radar talents that are raring to contribute to new teams next season. One of them would be Dallas Cowboys left guard Connor Williams. He has been a starter of the team since his rookie year in 2018 and has gotten better through the years, especially as a pass protector in the trenches. However, his 2021 campaign was a bit shaky as he committed a total of 15 penalties and was occasionally benched in 17 games played.
Additionally, there are also question marks about his strength to compete against the stronger pass rushers in the league. Luckily for Williams, he is still young at the age of 24 which means that there is still a lot of time for him to learn from his errors and improve his skill set to be a better player moving forward. If he manages to do so then he can surely contribute to any offensive line that is looking for a boost at the left guard spot starting next season.
With that said, let's take a look at the three best landing spots for Williams in the 2022 NFL free agency.
Connor Williams Free Agency Landing Spots
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been heavily criticized for the lack of talent in their offensive line that failed to protect Trevor Lawrence in the pocket in his rookie year in the league. According to PFF, they were ranked 24th in terms of the performance of their offensive line in 2021.
At the left guard position, they currently have Andrew Norwell who previously earned a five-year, $66.5 million contract, the biggest of a guard in the league back in 2018. However, he failed to live up to his huge paycheck as his play eventually regressed after his breakout year in 2017. There have also been talks about trading the veteran lineman in recent years though it never came to fruition.
Luckily for the Jaguars, they have enough flexibility to make significant moves as they have $56 million in cap space available, per Spotrac. If they opt to finally move on from Norwell in the upcoming offseason then Connor Williams would be a good acquisition for them. Additionally, he is also a viable option if the team would want to have younger linemen to complement Lawrence as Norwell is already playing at the age of 30.
The Miami Dolphins can use any kind of upgrade in their offensive line, given that it ranked dead-last in the league in 2021, per PFF. They do have a young group though there are still question marks regarding their potential to continuously improve moving forward.
Miami's left guard position remains to be a concern as they currently have Austin Jackson who primarily struggled in his sophomore year in the league. His recent switch from the left tackle position has helped him see a slight improvement though it remains to be seen if he can be a long-term solution for the Dolphins at the said spot.
Currently, the team has the largest cap space in the league with over $61 million which gives them the ability to pursue free agents who can provide an instant impact next season. If they opt to fast-track their rebuilding efforts then Connor Williams can be an intriguing target for them at the left guard spot. His ability in blocking the run would also be helpful for the Dolphins as they have a mobile quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa.
At the same time, Williams is only two years older than Jackson and they will still get to retain the youth movement at the group if they choose to acquire the former in the upcoming offseason.
The best landing spot for almost any free agent offensive lineman in the league would be the Cincinnati Bengals. Back in 2020, many were already clamoring for the team to upgrade their offensive line in order to preserve the career of Joe Burrow.
They made changes though it was still not enough as the unit allowed a total of 51 sacks in the regular season. At the left guard position, veteran Quinton Spain played some of the best football of his career. However, the Bengals are expected to be keen for an upgrade if a chance presents itself in the offseason.
They can still choose to retain him and acquire Connor Williams who can slide to the center position to replace the struggling Trey Hopkins who is looking like a cut candidate for Cincinnati as of the moment. Overall, the Bengals will surely have to make some adjustments to the group, given that they currently have $48.7 million in cap space available for 2022.
If they manage to beef up their offensive line then the Bengals will certainly increase their chances of having another strong playoff run next season.
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