Did P.J. Williams Play Well Enough to Earn Another Contract With the Saints?

A versatile chess piece for the New Orleans defense, P.J. Williams might have played his way into another contract with the Saints.

Bob Rose | Mar 2, 2022

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New Orleans Saints

Florida State defensive back P.J. Williams was one of nine players selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 2015 NFL Draft. The Number 78 overall choice, Williams was the second of two third-round picks by the Saints. He's one of only three members of their 2015 draft class still in the NFL.

A Florida State teammate of QB Jameis Winston, the top overall selection in the 2015 draft, Williams had an outstanding career with the Seminoles. He was the Defensive MVP of the 2014 BCS National Championship Game and forced six turnovers over his last two collegiate seasons.

Williams missed his entire 2015 rookie season with a hamstring injury. He suffered a neck injury and serious concussion early in 2016 that ended his year after just two games. Since then, Williams has been extremely durable. He's missed just five of 88 contests since 2017.

Other than durability, Williams has had an up-and-down NFL career. He has excellent ball skills and tackling ability, but was a major liability in man coverage. In 2019, New Orleans transitioned Williams from a cornerback into a safety with slot coverage duties. Since then his career has been on an upward trajectory.

Saints 2021 Year-In-Review

P.J. Williams

Williams entered 2021 in a contract year for the third consecutive season. He had signed a one-year deal to return to the Saints in each of the previous two seasons.

Williams recorded his first interception of the year during a Week 3 win at New England. He returned the pick 46 yards to set the Saints up for an easy touchdown in a 28-13 win. Williams left a Week 4 loss to the Giants with an injury after just one defensive snap. The Saints gave up over 400 yards passing to Giants QB Daniel Jones in the loss.

The 28-year-old Williams returned the following week at Washington. He snagged a fourth quarter interception deep in Washington territory. The turnover gave New Orleans great field position, which they converted into a key touchdown in an 11-point victory.

Three weeks later, another late Williams turnover clinched another win. It was during a rousing 36-27 Week 8 victory over Tampa Bay. Jameis Winston was lost for the season in the first half with a knee injury. However, strong performances on both sides of the ball pushed the Saints out to a 23-7 lead.

The Buccaneers came storming back in the second half. They even took a 27-26 lead late in the fourth quarter. A New Orleans field goal gave them a two-point advantage with less than two minutes remaining.

P.J. Williams snuffed out Tampa Bay's last chance by intercepting QB Tom Brady at midfield on the ensuing possession. Williams took the interception and weaved through traffic, returning the ball for a 40-yard touchdown that iced the victory.

The Saints won four of their final five games, but fell just short of the playoffs. Their defense shouldered most of the load, ranking in the league's top-five in several categories. While only starting five contests, Williams played a key role in the defensive effort.

Williams had a career-high 3 interceptions in 2021, tying for the team lead. He also broke up five passes, recorded 2 sacks, and had 3 tackles for loss among his 42 total stops.

Williams allowed 76.9% completion percentage when targeted, but didn't give up a touchdown in man coverage for the second consecutive season.

P.J. Williams enters free agency for the third consecutive year. He accepted a lesser deal to return to New Orleans the last two seasons, but there may be more interest in his services this offseason.

Saints S P.J. Williams (26) returns an interception for the game-clinching touchdown against Tampa Bay. Credit: Nola.com

Williams provides terrific versatility to the Saints defense. He can play either safety spot, step into slot coverage, and even start at cornerback in a pinch. His 8 career interceptions are evidence of his outstanding ball skills. He's also an underrated blitzer and one of the team’s best tacklers in the open field.

Williams is best utilized as an off-ball defender. His natural instincts, versatility, and playmaking skills were valuable to the Saints defense in 2021. Those same traits could make him a free-agent priority for New Orleans this offseason.

Saints 2021 Year-In-Review

P.J. Williams

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