Defensive end Mario Williams was available to sign with the Dolphins this week because things went very wrong for him with the Bills last season.
Williams recorded just five sacks in coach Rex Ryan’s first season with the Bills, something he wasn’t shy about blaming on the way he was being used in Ryan’s scheme. Some with the Bills were equally forthcoming with their feeling that Williams was playing at less than full effort, although Williams was a bit more focused on the defensive scheme when discussing what will be different now that he’s in Miami.
“Honestly, when you get down to it, to what they have me doing, I think for a 4-3, it really doesn’t… to me I think they are both beneficial in their own ways,” Williams said, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “It’s just all about utilization. And I know [defensive coordinator Vance Joseph] and his mindset as that coordinator. It’s going to be… the dogs are going to hunt. Guys who get after the quarterback are going to get after the quarterback.”
Last season looks like an aberration when you look at Williams’ overall NFL career, which is why the Dolphins are banking that a change of scenery will lead to a return to pass rushing success. Williams was selling that notion on Wednesday, making several references to the energy and excitement around the Dolphins but it will be a while before we know if that bet pays off.