ESPN Lists Jonah Williams Among NFL Players Under The Most Pressure

Williams is entering a contract season.

CINCINNATI — Bengals expected starting right tackle Jonah Williams is flipping from the left side in a contract season. The switch and Williams's future were enough for ESPN's Bill Barnwell to place the talent among his 20 players under the most pressure in 2023.

Williams is playing on the fifth-year option as he looks to secure a long-term deal in the league.

"Another young player who issued a trade request this offseason, Williams was clearly frustrated when the Bengals signed Orlando Brown Jr. with the intention of installing the former Chiefs lineman at left tackle," Barnwell wrote. "After allowing nine sacks in 16 games last season, Williams was expected to kick over to the right side, a move that could cost him millions of dollars on his next contract. In truth, the Bengals made the right decision. Williams wasn't very good on Joe Burrow's blindside last season, and while he seemed like a strength when the Bengals were starting replacement-level linemen around him in the Super Bowl, he hasn't developed into the player Cincinnati hoped when it drafted him with the No. 11 pick in the 2019 draft.

"With Williams entering a contract season, it's better for him to try to have a great season on the right side than it would be to struggle again as a left tackle, which might be why he rescinded his trade request. Landing something like the five-year, $87.5 million deal Mike McGlinchey signed with the Broncos as a young tackle in free agency would hardly count as settling."

Brown's deal is getting more and more palatable by the day, but it would be hard to justify retaining Williams on a new deal—should he play well—because of all the other stars that need deals on this roster.

If he plays at an elite level, the franchise tag is a great option, but still, that's a one-year solution. Williams is highly likely to wear a different uniform next year, and his play will drive that final new contract value.

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