Damien Williams: “You Know You Have To Compete”

Damien Williams: “You Know You Have To Compete” – With training camp still over a week away, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has already named last year’s season-savior, Damien Williams, the team’s starting running back. In a recent statement, Reid said of Williams,

“We’re asking him to be the full-time starter for the year.  He’s earned the right to be that guy.”

While I’m not the head coach, I’m not quite sure that he has earned that right.

In his five years in the NFL, Williams has started in only seven out of a possible eighty games (although he has played in 76 of those games).

Additionally, Williams has gained only 733 yards total rushing with seven touchdowns and 893 yards receiving off of 108 catches with eight receiving touchdowns in those five years.

In last season’s loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game, Williams accounted for 18 of the 31 points the Chiefs put on the board.  He rushed ten yards for thirty yards and one touchdown. He also caught five passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Last season, Williams showed that he is a physical, punishing runner, not one to shy away from contact. However, very little of his success came from inside running plays. These usually resulted in just short gains or no gains. Most of Williams’ success with the Chiefs last year came from either passes or when he bounced outside on a run.

While I am hopeful and optimistic about Williams as the Chiefs starting running back entering this season, I am not yet sold.

Sure Williams proved that he could carry the load with the sudden loss of Kareem Hunt last year. What remains unproven, however, is… can he carry that load for a full season? He’s not yet proven that.

Moreover, I don’t think you just hand the starting job to a player who has yet to prove that he can carry the load for a full season prior even to the start of training camp.

Also, it’s a bit unfair to the other running backs vying for a seat at the table.  Jacksonville Jaguars castoff Carlos Hyde, rookie Darwin Thompson, or one-year Chief Darrel Williams should all get a shot to prove their worth once training camp starts in a little over a week.

“I have a lot of grit and determination. I work hard, I just like to win, for real.  Each and every year, you know you have to compete. Them bringing in Carlos [Hyde], Darrel [Williams] is here, then they drafted a guy, Darwin [Thompson], and you know you still have to compete, but you want to help each other out.” – Damien Williams

So, what if one of them does? Does Reid simply pull the carpet from under the feet of his prematurely named starter? What message does that send to the rest of the team?

This is not a slander against Williams. He came through for K.C. last year when they needed him most and has certainly earned the right to compete for the starting job. I think his receiving abilities are custom made for an Andy Reid offense.

However, shouldn’t we let players compete and perform during training camp and earn their position? Is not competition healthy for the Red and Gold?

Patrick Mahomes earned the right to be our starting quarterback last year.  Travis Kelce’s tenure as a Chief and our clutch tight end earns him the right to be our starter. Tyreek Hill has earned that right. Heck, our longest-tenured player, punter Dustin Colquitt enters training camp battling for his position over young upstart Jack Fox.

Make Williams compete for the job! Don’t simply hand it over to him just because he was in the right place at the right time.

Coach Reid has handed him the keys to Chiefs Kingdom. To his credit, however, he appears to leave himself options should Williams falter.

“There’s a certain challenge that comes with that. That’s a tough position to play. So you have to prepare yourself on and off the field and he’s taken that challenge. He wants to do this thing and he’s earned the right to be that guy. Now it’s a matter of production. You have to go do it. It’s his first opportunity to be a full-time starter here.”

Again, my purpose is not to ballyhoo Williams. I want him to succeed. I’m pulling for him but, competition at training camp and in the preseason is vital to ensuring that you have the best players at the position. It works well for both the team and the players. This year, unfortunately, the Chiefs running backs will not have that chance.

Bonus Fun Fact: Darrel Williams is the first player in the LSU Tigers history to record at least 100 rushing yards and one hundred receiving yards in a single game.  Williams accomplished the feat on October 21, 2017, against Ole Miss.

Michael Travis Rose — ArrowheadOne

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