Green Bay Packers safety Evan Williams had plenty to celebrate on his 23rd birthday on Sunday. The rookie out of Oregon gifted himself an interception off of Sean Clifford, marking his third pick in the first week of his first NFL training camp.
After practice, Williams said he considers himself a playmaker but recognizes that there are times when opportunities for interceptions aren’t as frequent. That’s why he’s trying to make the most of them.
So far, the Packers safety group has had a tremendous start to camp, with Williams and fellow rookie Javon Bullard playing significant parts. Both have caused turnovers while lining up with the starting defense, showing the coaching staff that the moment isn’t too big for them.
Prior to Sunday’s practice, head coach Matt LaFleur touched on the performances of both Williams and Bullard.
“I’m really excited about both those guys,” said LaFleur. “Certainly, they have a skill set, but the mental ability of both of these guys to be able to retain what they’ve learned throughout the course of OTAs and come back and continue to build on it day by day. I think it’s been super impressive. They are versatile enough. We can interchange the safeties so you can’t get a beat on who is going to be where. It’s such a competitive situation.”
Out of the Packers’ 11 newly added draft picks, you can make the case that Williams has made the most noise out of all of them based on production. No one on the defense has forced more turnovers than Williams, which are often a deciding factor for wins during the regular season.
Williams’ ball skills weren’t what he was known for coming out, but they have certainly been a pleasant surprise. He logged four interceptions during his college career but had none in his final year with the Ducks. However, he did make a positive impact in other ways while lining up all over the field.
Green Bay plans to use their safeties interchangeably this season, meaning Williams may be asked to play deep, in the slot, or in the box on any given play. That can be a lot to put on a rookie’s plate, but Williams remarked that he has enjoyed trying to learn a new defensive scheme while trying to pick up on any tendencies from the offense.
It’s a positive sign that Williams hasn’t been overwhelmed, as he’s constantly been around the ball.
“I feel like I’m progressing every day, truthfully,” said Williams. “Every day, I’m just trying to learn a little bit more about how our coordinator thinks and what type of calls he’s going to be making in certain situations.”
If Williams continues at his current rate of becoming more engrossed in the scheme and translating it to making plays on the field, he could be a significant contributor to the Packers’ defense in 2024.
