Michael Williams moving to Tackle

[lgolfer]

Apparently we have one less guy competing for a roster spot as a TE now. Williams is going to try and gain some weight to become a tackle.

http://www.detroitlions.com/news/li...o-tackle/a28e415b-8926-40a5-b30c-46fbcc98b5ec

Michael Williams was the best blocking tight end to come out of the 2013 NFL Draft, which is one of the reasons the Lions liked him so much in the seventh round.

The team likes Williams’ blocking so much, in fact, they’re converting the tight end to offensive tackle.
“He’s a guy with size and he’s athletic and it’s one of those things, too, where the guy had to fight to keep his weight down,” Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said of Williams. “He came back and he was somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 pounds. You don’t see too many 300-pound tight ends. He’s a big guy.”

Williams has the frame to play tackle at 6-foot-6, but will likely have to add some more bulk. He said he’s currently at 283 pounds and is on a regimen to pack on more.

“We’ve been talking about this for a while it was just up to me to make that decision,” Williams said. “I just felt like I could prolong my career this way. My style of tight end has not been used as much in the NFL.

“It’s just about me building my muscles and not just trying to gain weight. You have to gain the right weight.”

It’s a good opportunity for Williams, who would have had a tough time making the roster at tight end with Eric Ebron, Brandon Pettigrew and Joseph Fauria.

The Lions, however, have an opening for a fourth tackle behind Riley Reiff, LaAdrian Waddle and Corey Hilliard. Undrafted free agent Cornelius Lucas is one of the favorites to land the job, but Williams will be in the mix and have a chance to win a roster spot in camp.

Caldwell said Williams has the potential to be a very athletic tackle.

“I was on a team where Chris Hinton was a tight end, actually. Chris Hinton was a tight end and moved from tight end to tackle and had an outstanding career (seven Pro Bowls),” Caldwell said.

“Another one I was around, just so happened I was at Louisville, we had Bruce Armstrong, who was also a tight end. One of those guys who was a big guy. He moved to tackle and played a number of years with New England (six Pro Bowls).

“I think Mike is going to be one of those guys who can help us if he can develop.”

 

[cheeno]

Makes sense - corner that plays safety, tackle that plays fullback, running back that plays wide reciever, TE that plays slot back...I'd be more surprised if he stayed at his natural position.

 

[tonyballs]

Makes sense - corner that plays safety, tackle that plays fullback, running back that plays wide reciever, TE that plays slot back...I'd be more surprised if he stayed at his natural position.

Not the only team in the NFL, bro.....cmon now

 

[inkfreq]

I have never been a fan of converted TEs to Tackle.

I was vocal about it years back when many fans wanted Jason Smith drafted rather than Matt Stafford.

Not a fan of this move either. At all.

 

[inkfreq]

I have never been a fan of converted TEs to Tackle.

I was vocal about it years back when many fans wanted Jason Smith drafted rather than Matt Stafford.

Not a fan of this move either. At all.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Like the move. No chance of making it at TE. Practice squad him for another year and see what he can do.

 

[tonyballs]

I have never been a fan of converted TEs to Tackle.

I was vocal about it years back when many fans wanted Jason Smith drafted rather than Matt Stafford.

Not a fan of this move either. At all.

7th rd pick, man. Doesn't work out, you send him out the door with a care-package. buhbye.

 

[Mitchrapp]

The point is that he could block so he had some use as a TE. NOW he's basically useless. Unless there is a slew of injuries..a TE learning a new position..he's basically useless. Unless you play him as a LT and put Reiff back at his natural position, FB.

 

[kmd47]

The point is that he could block so he had some use as a TE. NOW he's basically useless. Unless there is a slew of injuries..a TE learning a new position..he's basically useless. Unless you play him as a LT and put Reiff back at his natural position, FB.

Can't explain anything to this guy. Always putting you're "funny" negative undertones to everything.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Can't explain anything to this guy. Always putting you're "funny" negative undertones to everything.

That's what people with humor do..try it sometime. If it doesn't hurt.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I'd like a list of good T that were once TE at the NFL level..

 

[LKP]

I'd like a list of good T that were once TE at the NFL level..

Michael Williams*

*based on potential

 

[tomdalton22]

Michael Williams*

*based on potential

lol...another homer statement!

 

[lgolfer]

I'd like a list of good T that were once TE at the NFL level..

Mitch, did you even read the article that I posted to begin this thread?

"Caldwell said Williams has the potential to be a very athletic tackle."

?I was on a team where Chris Hinton was a tight end, actually. Chris Hinton was a tight end and moved from tight end to tackle and had an outstanding career (seven Pro Bowls),? Caldwell said.

?Another one I was around, just so happened I was at Louisville, we had Bruce Armstrong, who was also a tight end. One of those guys who was a big guy. He moved to tackle and played a number of years with New England (six Pro Bowls)."

Caldwell mentions 2 guys who made the switch from TE to Tackle and made a combined 13 Pro Bowls!

 

[kdp80]

7th rd pick, man. Doesn't work out, you send him out the door with a care-package. buhbye.

Exactly. If this pans out, the Lions got a starting caliber tackle in the 7th round. There is no room for him on this team at te anyway. Why the hell is anyone even questioning this move, is Oline depth a bad thing?

 

[michiganalex]

people bitch to bitch. some are never happy

 

[detrisin]

Mitch, did you even read the article that I posted to begin this thread?

"Caldwell said Williams has the potential to be a very athletic tackle."

?I was on a team where Chris Hinton was a tight end, actually. Chris Hinton was a tight end and moved from tight end to tackle and had an outstanding career (seven Pro Bowls),? Caldwell said.

?Another one I was around, just so happened I was at Louisville, we had Bruce Armstrong, who was also a tight end. One of those guys who was a big guy. He moved to tackle and played a number of years with New England (six Pro Bowls)."

Caldwell mentions 2 guys who made the switch from TE to Tackle and made a combined 13 Pro Bowls!

How dare you confuse the situation with facts.

 

[brewer229]

How dare you confuse the situation with facts.

To be fair Armstrong made the switch in college. Hinton maybe was a TE in HS but seems like he played college on the Oline. So neither were drafted as a TE and switched in the NFL.

That being said, its worth a shot, if it doesn't work out no big deal. Although not sure why they gave the big UDFA money out to Lucas if they planned on
Converting Williams. I guess for compitiom for the 4th tackle spot?

 

[inkfreq]

Here is the concern....

Today he's practice squad material, learning to play tackle.

A couple of injuries, and we have a tight end protecting Stafford.

It's never worked out yet. No converted TE has ever played even close to well at Tackle.

So it's not a "no biggie". It's a false sense of security that could get our all-too-expensive QB an early retirement check.

Don't like it. Just cut the guy if you can't use him at TE, and go get a damned tackle.

 

[kmd47]

Here is the concern....

Today he's practice squad material, learning to play tackle.

A couple of injuries, and we have a tight end protecting Stafford.

It's never worked out yet. No converted TE has ever played even close to well at Tackle.

So it's not a "no biggie". It's a false sense of security that could get our all-too-expensive QB an early retirement check.

Don't like it. Just cut the guy if you can't use him at TE, and go get a damned tackle.

O you know for a fact no te has ever converted to tackle and been successful? Caldwell named like 3 in the article that played multiple productive years at tackle after they switch. He is not defaulted the number for tackle spot at all and I just going top push all the other tackles and has another year of ps eligibility. Don't know why everyone is crying about this.