When a four-time Pro Bowl player goes on the free agent market, there’s usually a reason for it. In the case of Miami Dolphins defensive end Mario Williams, the reason may be a simple one — effort.
Or more specifically, a lack thereof.
As the Dolphins continue to struggle through the first half of the 2016 NFL season, every player is being put under the microscope in the hopes of turning around the season. Outside of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who isn’t getting benched anytime soon, Williams has come under the most fire.
Rightfully so, after signing a bid offseason contract and producing a whole seven tackles and just one sack through five weeks of football.
Williams has been such a disappointment that he took just 53 snaps last weekend. He also failed to record a single tackle or sack on the day.
It has led defensive coordinator Vance Jones to publicly call out the effort of his player, hoping for the results they thought they’d be getting when he joined the team in the offseason.
“He’s got to play harder; he’s got to play better. Obviously, he’s being allowed to rush the passer. But the games we’ve been in, it’s been more run-first, pass-second games. So for us to be a great rushing team, we have to earn the right. … If they want to rush more, stop the run more consistently.”
This call-out comes on the heels of a team effort that saw the Tennessee Titans rack up a whopping 235 rushing yards on 41 carries. A lot of the blame went to Williams and the other defensive ends, as they failed to set the edge over and over again.
None of this should be that surprising, as Williams’ effort was often called in to question in Buffalo. That was especially true, because Williams made it very clear he was there to rush the passer and not play against the run.
Even former teammates were willing to call out Williams’ “effort” following his move to the Dolphins this offseason.
One ex-Bills teammate said Mario Williams' effort was "Bad. Ask the Jets, they were talking about it before we played them."
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 8, 2016
Williams wasn’t the only target of Jones either. Cornerback Byron Maxwell, whom the team traded for this offseason, was also a target.
“He has not played overall well,” Joseph said of Maxwell. “He’s a guy that’s here every day. He’s working hard. He studies a bunch of film, but it has not come together for him. But that happens to players. It’s a different scheme, different place to play. So I’m not totally down on Byron.”
With so many eggs put in to the baskets of Williams and Maxwell, and their failures so far, is it any wonder the Dolphins are hanging by a thread at 1-4 to start the season?
[ESPN]
