Nine-year NFL veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams signed a new contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Williams, a former first-round spent, spent the 2023 season with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants but has also played for the New York Jets.
Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks, Agree to Contract
Despite being on the older side, Leonard Williams remained his usual reliable self while playing with two different organizations. The defensive lineman started the season with the Giants, recording 1.5 sacks, 21 tackles, one tackle-for-loss, and five quarterback hits in eight games.
New York eventually traded Williams to the Seattle Seahawks for the back half of the season, and while the team struggled down the stretch, Williams remained an impressive playmaker. During his 10 games under Pete Carroll, Williams recorded four sacks, 41 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, and 11 quarterback hits.
Leonard Williams originally entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Selected by the New York Jets, the USC product immediately earned a starting job and recorded three sacks, 63 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, and 21 quarterback hits during his inaugural campaign. He followed this up with a seven-sack season that earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl as the Jets came one game away from a surprising playoff birth.
After two more full seasons with the Jets, New York traded him to the Giants, who quickly signed Leonard Williams to a big contract in the 2020 offseason. Williams rewarded this investment by recording a career-best 10.5 sacks during his first year on the big deal. He followed this up with 6.5 sacks in 2021 and 2.5 sacks in the 2022 season as the Giants made the playoffs.
Since signing his rookie contract, Leonard Williams has appeared in 142 games while making 133 starts. While on the field, the USC product has recorded 43.5 sacks, 511 tackles, 68 tackles-for-loss, and 173 quarterback hits.
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