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DT Kevin Williams (former Viking) visiting


gmenroc

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Been reading up on him. They call him the "Classic One-year Wonder"...and I can see why.

 

Drafted 9th overall in the first round (2003), "one of the top impact rookie defenders in team history, led all rookies with 10.5 sacks, a consensus All-Rookie team....".

 

So the Vikings signed him to a 7-year, 50 million dollar contract. And he has never been the same - at least not in the last 4 years. 2010 (1 sack), 2011 (5 sacks), 2012 (2 sacks), 2013 (3.5 sacks). He was busted for masking steroids in 2008 and served a 4-game suspension. That might have been the beginning of the end of his pro-bowl caliber days.

 

Anyway...not bad for a DT, but not the Pro-Bowl kind of stats he put up as a rookie. Although, he was a six-time pro-bowler, so he had above average years. He's now 33 years old and probably on the downhill slide.

 

But he's big (6'5" / 311) and might be good rotation material to keep the line fresh.

 

I say sign the big oaf!

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Wasn't he one of the "Star Caps" suspensions (adderall), not steriods?

According to wiki:

 

"On December 2, 2008, he received a four-game suspension for use of a diuretic, which can be used as a masking agent for steroid use. It is believed that the diuretic was found in a weight-loss supplement that he had been taking. Williams, along with Pat Williams, appealed the suspension to a Minnesota federal court; the judge ruled against the NFL's decision and allowed all suspended players, including Williams, to play until a further review of the case. The case review had been ongoing through the entire 2009 and 2010 NFL seasons, but in 2011, he was suspended for only 2 games under the rules of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. In his eleven-year NFL career, all with Minnesota, Williams has started every game at defensive tackle.

Have no idea what the diuretic was. Heck, coffee is a diuretic.

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From the Minnesota Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/blogs/255267251.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

"Former Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams could be close to extending his NFL career as a New York Giant.

 

Williams, who turns 34 in August, flew to Newark, N.J., from Atlanta this afternoon. He had dinner with Giants defensive line coach Robert Nunn and other Giants defensive coaches tonight and will meet with head coach Tom Coughlin and members of the Giants’ front office on Tuesday.

 

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” Williams said. “I played 11 years in Minnesota. It didn’t work out there and this is my first visit with another team. I’m not sure how to feel. It’s all new to me.”

 

Williams was the Vikings’ first-round draft pick in 2003. A five-time All-Pro pick and six-time Pro Bowl selection, Williams has missed only five games, including just three because of injuries. He had 60 sacks, five interceptions and seven forced fumbles as a Viking.

 

But Williams never was in the plans for new head coach Mike Zimmer. Williams said he accepted that as part of the business of the NFL, but also thinks he still has something left to give to the NFL.

 

“I knew eventually a team would reach out and show interest,” Williams said. “But I wasn’t worried about it. Either way, whether something works out [Tuesday] or doesn’t work out and I retire, I’m comfortable with that. I’m not a guy who’s worried about going home and leaving football behind. Football isn’t everything.”

 

Ironically, the Giants’ need at defensive tackle stems in part from the Vikings signing Giants nose tackle Linval Joseph early on in free agency. That left an opening inside next to former Packer Cullen Jenkins, who signed with the Giants via free agency last year.

 

“I had a good visit [Monday night],” Williams said. “It’s different. That’s for sure. But I would like to keep playing, so we’ll see how it goes [Tuesday].”

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Left town without a deal. Hopefully...it's not over, but probably is.

 

After hearing some of his comments about being perfectly fine retiring...it sounds as if the deal had to have been rather lucrative to sway him away from hanging it up. If the fire was still there, I'd have liked the signing...but I don't want a guy who's approaching the season with a somewhat lackluster attitude/effort.

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