The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.
NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.
We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.
So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Cincinnati Bengals tackle, Jonah Williams.
Jonah Williams 2024 Contract Projection
After missing his entire rookie campaign to injury and finishing his sophomore year on the IR, Jonah Williams rose to his first NFL challenge by shaking the “injury prone” tag with three seasons of solid health.
While Williams has improved in the availability department, he has done little to show improvement in his actual performance. PFF has given Williams a declining grade since his respectable 2021 season, which was mostly buoyed by his 79.8 run block grade.
In 2021, PFF credited Williams with eight sacks allowed, good for a four-way tie for the sixth-most sacks allowed amongst tackles. Of the nine tackles with eight or more sacks allowed in 2021, only two of them were projected starters in 2023. In 2022, he and Dennis Daley led all tackles in sacks allowed with 12. Daley was signed by the Cardinals as a depth piece for 2023.
Despite flashing potential at his new right tackle position in the first half of 2023, Williams regressed to the mean and again allowed eight sacks this past year. His pass blocking efficiency improved from 95.8% and 95.9% to 96.4%, but no teams are chasing mediocre run blockers that can’t scratch a 97% PBE over a three-year stretch. His early career is reminiscent of D.J. Fluker, a fellow first round tackle that provided just enough tape over his entry deal for teams to understand his ceiling, and limit him to short-term deals at replacement-level valuations.
- Franchise Tag Likelihood: Low
- 1 Year, $5M, $5M APY, 2.5M GTD
- Year One Cap Hit: $4M
Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.
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