Part of the success of Mike Pettine’s defensive system in Buffalo last season was the fact that any position player, starter to practice squad participant, could rotate in and out of their respective role when called upon.
In that regard, the team’s new defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, is instilling a very similar schematic, particularly with the team’s secondary.
The Bills’ coaches have touted the young defensive backfield as being one of the deepest areas of talent on the roster, with talented guys like Aaron Williams and Stephon Gilmore helping lead those with less experience.
One of those less experienced players is sophomore defensive back Duke Williams, who appeared in every game last season for Buffalo but saw little time. The former Nevada standout and fourth-round pick participated in only 36 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus, but has shown promise.
His athleticism and familiarity with the cornerback position make him an asset to a team down arguably one of the best safeties in the league in Jairus Byrd, and the communication among the unit has helped everyone stay on the same page, regardless of who may be in that play.
“We don’t miss a beat .We try to rotate everybody,” Williams said via buffalobills.com. “Everybody is interchangeable. So if me and Aaron (Williams) are on the field, or me and Da’Norris (Search) or me and (Jonathan) Meeks it’s nothing foreign. We’re all used to communicating with each other.
“We meet together with the corners so we’re able to communicate with them also.”
The fact that Williams is in direct competition with a couple of his fellow teammates — namely Da’Norris Searcy and Jonathon Meeks — doesn’t seem to harm that relationship one bit, as Williams explained back in July.
“It’s a great competition and a healthy competition and we’re all trying to help each other and in the end the better guy is going to take the position.”
With Searcy missing time at practice this week due to off-the-field personal issues, look for Williams to see a potential increase in reps with the first-team unit Friday as they take on the Carolina Panthers.
