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Does CB Dee Williams's Versatility Give Him an Edge for a NY Giants Roster Spot?
Sep 30, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Dee Williams (33) runs the ball against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The name of the game for the New York Giants roster-building process in recent years has been all about versatility, and there’s one player who takes versatility to a whole new level: cornerback Dee Williams.

Williams spent two years in college at Tennessee, during which he was a depth player in both the wide receiver and cornerback rooms, while also serving as the Volunteers’ return man in 2023.

In 2023, Williams returned 12 kicks for 269 yards as well as 21 punts for 261 yards and a touchdown. But he’s facing a stacked competitive field this summer for a roster spot.

Dee Williams, CB

Height: 5-10
Weight: 190
EXP: 2 Years
School: Tennessee
How Acquired: W(SEA)-’24

2024 in Review

Williams was placed on the active/non-football injury list by the Seahawks at the start of training camp in 2024 for an undisclosed reason, but would eventually be activated early on after passing his physical.

When it came time for final cutdowns to the initial 53-man roster, Williams made the active roster, playing almost exclusively as a special teamer, both playing as a return man as well as working on coverage teams.

On kick returns, Williams had nine returns for 254 yards and an average of 28.2 yards per return. He finished with 15 punt returns for 111 yards and a 7.4 average with two muffed punts.

Defensively, Williams only played four snaps the whole season, all of which came against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7.

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Contract/Cap Info

With Williams being waived by the Seahawks and then claimed by the Giants, he remains under the original contract he signed after being drafted by the Seahawks.

The contract was a standard undrafted free agent contract, a three-year deal worth $2.855 million with $125,000 guaranteed, which is his signing bonus; he is currently on the Seahawks' cap this year.

Williams has two years remaining on his contract, which will pay him $960,000 in 2025 and $1,075,000 in 2026. If the Giants were to release Williams before the season, they would create $960K in cap space without incurring any dead cap penalty.

2025 Preview

Williams offers interesting versatility with his ability to practice on offense, defense, and special teams, but the question then becomes how likely it is that he will ever contribute in those areas.

Special teams would likely be Williams’ calling card, but considering the return men the Giants already have on the roster right now, that might not differentiate him enough to keep his spot.

If the Giants intend to keep a practice squad player who could contribute as a return man as well as in other facets of the game, then Williams could compete for that spot.

Montrell Washington would likely be his biggest competition for that practice squad spot, as a return man who also plays receiver.

Would Williams’ ability to play both sides of the ball help him earn that spot, or does he need to truly specialize on one side, which would be defense, to distance himself from the group?

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This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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