Bretsky
08-04-2007, 10:29 AM
Williams focusing on today, not future
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 3, 2007
Green Bay - If this does turn out to be his final season in Green Bay, defensive tackle Corey Williams intends to keep a clear mind, a sound body and a fresh vision for the future.
Corey Williams is coming off his best season, one in which he recorded seven sacks, the third-highest total among defensive tackles.
The Packers have a logjam in the defensive line and Williams looks to be the logical one to go, either by trade this season or as an unrestricted free agent next March.
Defensive ends Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins count $14.44 million against the salary cap. Defensive tackles Ryan Pickett and rookie Justin Harrell count $3.75 million, and Harrell has a $5.3 million option bonus due in 2008.
After getting nowhere in preliminary talks toward an extension with Williams last spring, the Packers might just decide they can't afford to pay big money to another defensive lineman. Pickett is coming off a solid season, Harrell was given Williams' starting job even before camp opened and holdovers Johnny Jolly and Colin Cole look like capable backups.
"There might not," Williams said Thursday, referring to the possibility that there won't be enough money left for him. "If there ain't, then hell with them. Know what I'm saying? I can't hold my head down. It's the NFL."
Williams, who will turn 27 in two weeks, left little doubt on what he hopes will happen.
"I really would like to stay here," he said. "I hope I've done enough and I'm doing enough to make the people upstairs want to keep me around. But it's not my decision."
Williams was well aware of the five-year, $25 million contract that defensive tackle Darwin Walker signed with Chicago on Tuesday so the trade between Buffalo and the Bears could go through. The Bills reportedly received a fifth-round choice for the 30-year-old Walker, a starter in Philadelphia since 2002 with 26 sacks.
General manager Jerry Angelo made the move for Walker to shore up a weak position for the Bears. The Packers have several weak spots but none more than at running back.
Given GM Ted Thompson's predilection for draft choices, he might rather trade a player like Williams from a position of strength than give up a pick.
"You know what, though?" Williams said. "I'm not even focusing on that. As of right now, I'm not going to have that on my mind thinking, 'Dang, what if I get traded here? Or what if this and this and that happens?' "
Instead, Williams is trying to be a good soldier. He has accepted his $850,000 base salary as part of the final year of his original four-year contract and says that he will accept whatever playing time comes his way.
"Got to," he said. "If they tell me you're only going to get this many reps this game, it's just the end of the stick I got dealt. Only thing I want is for them to put a group in there that they feel can help the team win. If it takes me to cut my reps, hey, that's what I've got to do."
As it stands now, Pickett and Harrell will start in the base defense. Inside on passing downs, it will be Jenkins and Williams.
"It really don't matter who you put in - the first group, second group, third group - all of them can play," Williams said.
Williams is coming off his best season, one in which he recorded seven sacks, the third-highest total in the league among defensive tackles. After a sluggish start in which he played 46.6% of the snaps in Weeks 1-8, his playing time rose to 62.9% in Weeks 9-16.
The Packers drafted Harrell with the idea that he might become the destructive force at tackle that they lacked. But Thompson also might think he has yet to see the best of Williams, a sixth-round pick from Arkansas State in 2004.
"I think in my heart he could be one of the best ever," strength coach Rock Gullickson said of Williams.
Back in spring 2003, general manager Mike Sherman decided he couldn't keep both Cletidus Hunt and Vonnie Holliday. He re-signed Hunt for $25.35 million over six years, then watched Holliday take a two-year, $5.95 million deal in Kansas City one month later.
It might turn out that Thompson made his choice Feb. 26 when he gave another 26-year-old lineman, Jenkins, a four-year contract worth $15.84 million.
"I was happy for him," Williams said. "I'm the type of guy, I don't wish no bad luck on no one."
Williams wouldn't say whether he would take Jenkins' contract to stay. He does know that with another strong season his value would skyrocket and, more than likely, he'd be leaving via the unrestricted market for big bucks.
Either way, he's playing for his future.
"That's why I'm not going to let nothing crazy or nothing off the field knock me off the path I'm trying to go down," Williams said. "I got my mind set on having a great season."
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 3, 2007
Green Bay - If this does turn out to be his final season in Green Bay, defensive tackle Corey Williams intends to keep a clear mind, a sound body and a fresh vision for the future.
Corey Williams is coming off his best season, one in which he recorded seven sacks, the third-highest total among defensive tackles.
The Packers have a logjam in the defensive line and Williams looks to be the logical one to go, either by trade this season or as an unrestricted free agent next March.
Defensive ends Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins count $14.44 million against the salary cap. Defensive tackles Ryan Pickett and rookie Justin Harrell count $3.75 million, and Harrell has a $5.3 million option bonus due in 2008.
After getting nowhere in preliminary talks toward an extension with Williams last spring, the Packers might just decide they can't afford to pay big money to another defensive lineman. Pickett is coming off a solid season, Harrell was given Williams' starting job even before camp opened and holdovers Johnny Jolly and Colin Cole look like capable backups.
"There might not," Williams said Thursday, referring to the possibility that there won't be enough money left for him. "If there ain't, then hell with them. Know what I'm saying? I can't hold my head down. It's the NFL."
Williams, who will turn 27 in two weeks, left little doubt on what he hopes will happen.
"I really would like to stay here," he said. "I hope I've done enough and I'm doing enough to make the people upstairs want to keep me around. But it's not my decision."
Williams was well aware of the five-year, $25 million contract that defensive tackle Darwin Walker signed with Chicago on Tuesday so the trade between Buffalo and the Bears could go through. The Bills reportedly received a fifth-round choice for the 30-year-old Walker, a starter in Philadelphia since 2002 with 26 sacks.
General manager Jerry Angelo made the move for Walker to shore up a weak position for the Bears. The Packers have several weak spots but none more than at running back.
Given GM Ted Thompson's predilection for draft choices, he might rather trade a player like Williams from a position of strength than give up a pick.
"You know what, though?" Williams said. "I'm not even focusing on that. As of right now, I'm not going to have that on my mind thinking, 'Dang, what if I get traded here? Or what if this and this and that happens?' "
Instead, Williams is trying to be a good soldier. He has accepted his $850,000 base salary as part of the final year of his original four-year contract and says that he will accept whatever playing time comes his way.
"Got to," he said. "If they tell me you're only going to get this many reps this game, it's just the end of the stick I got dealt. Only thing I want is for them to put a group in there that they feel can help the team win. If it takes me to cut my reps, hey, that's what I've got to do."
As it stands now, Pickett and Harrell will start in the base defense. Inside on passing downs, it will be Jenkins and Williams.
"It really don't matter who you put in - the first group, second group, third group - all of them can play," Williams said.
Williams is coming off his best season, one in which he recorded seven sacks, the third-highest total in the league among defensive tackles. After a sluggish start in which he played 46.6% of the snaps in Weeks 1-8, his playing time rose to 62.9% in Weeks 9-16.
The Packers drafted Harrell with the idea that he might become the destructive force at tackle that they lacked. But Thompson also might think he has yet to see the best of Williams, a sixth-round pick from Arkansas State in 2004.
"I think in my heart he could be one of the best ever," strength coach Rock Gullickson said of Williams.
Back in spring 2003, general manager Mike Sherman decided he couldn't keep both Cletidus Hunt and Vonnie Holliday. He re-signed Hunt for $25.35 million over six years, then watched Holliday take a two-year, $5.95 million deal in Kansas City one month later.
It might turn out that Thompson made his choice Feb. 26 when he gave another 26-year-old lineman, Jenkins, a four-year contract worth $15.84 million.
"I was happy for him," Williams said. "I'm the type of guy, I don't wish no bad luck on no one."
Williams wouldn't say whether he would take Jenkins' contract to stay. He does know that with another strong season his value would skyrocket and, more than likely, he'd be leaving via the unrestricted market for big bucks.
Either way, he's playing for his future.
"That's why I'm not going to let nothing crazy or nothing off the field knock me off the path I'm trying to go down," Williams said. "I got my mind set on having a great season."