BY SEAN DONOVAN
While recovering from a season-ending injury and preparing for a change in role with his new team, Mario Williams is also adding mass to his physique. Nintendo's Mario got bigger eating Super Mushrooms. The Bills' Mario is probably taking a different route.
The former Texan tweeted in May that he is up to 300 pounds while retaining the speed and strength that has helped him become one of the most feared pass rushers in the league. He has generally played around 290 pounds during the first six years of his career.
After a season at outside linebacker, Williams will be moving back to defensive end in Dave Wannstedt's 4-3 scheme. Along with Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams and free agent aquistion Mark Anderson, the Bills will have one of the best defensive fronts in football, at least on paper.
Last season, Texans' defensive coordinator Wade Phillips switched his team to a 3-4 and moved Williams to the outside linebacker spot where his pass rushing skills would be best used. Now that Williams is returning to a down lineman position, his added mass will help him hold his ground against blockers in run defense and power through tackles to create pressure in the passing game.
Last year, Williams suffered a pectoral injury in the Texans' Week 5 game against Oakland that landed him on the injured reserve. In his previous five seasons, all as a defensive end, the former No. 1 overall pick recorded 48 sacks and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice.
In March, Williams became the first defensive player to sign a nine-figure deal when the Bills gave him a six-year, $100 million contract. That contract beat Julius Peppers' 2010 deal by $16 million to make Williams the highest-paid defender in NFL history.
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