Trill Williams, now trying to make it as a safety for Dolphins: ’I always bet on myself'
MIAMI GARDENS — Trill Williams this week shed his red, non-contact jersey, so it’s unlikely he’ll play in Friday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Still, it represents a milestone for Williams, a hurdle he has waited to clear.
It was one year ago this coming Sunday, in another preseason opener, that Williams tore his ACL. The work he’d put toward playing in the NFL — at Syracuse for three years, with the Dolphins after getting cut by the Saints — all of that was put on hold until his knee cooperated.
Williams, 23, wasn’t drafted but showed enough promise before the injury to suggest the Dolphins could rely on him. Had he stayed healthy, his services likely would have been put to use as injuries decimated Miami secondary in 2022.
Fixing penalties isn't a snap when Miami Dolphins are undisciplined | Habib
Once again, Williams facing a curveball. This one, he’s ready for.
When Williams reported to the facility, coaches informed him he’s no longer a cornerback. He’s a safety. His reaction?
“Another day in the office,” he said. “ … I feel like I’m best anywhere on the field, honestly.”
That’s not a surprise.
“I always bet on myself,” he wrote on his Twitter bio.
Even so, Williams admits there is one aspect of playing corner he misses.
“I say the advantages that I have over a lot of receivers is my press,” he said. “So I have not been able to do that at safety. It’s all right. I’ll adjust to it.”
That’s not to say Williams’ days as a cornerback are all behind him. Coaches are giving him some snaps there. They could view him in a utility role in the secondary, especially with cornerback Jalen Ramsey out.
“You want to have a player that's versatile, that you can move anywhere, and I feel like I'm that kind of player,” Williams said. “Wherever they want to put me and move me hopefully help my chances of making the team. But you know, I'm trying to be a starter, so that's in my mind.”
Williams was signed by New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in May 2021 but failed his physical and was waived three days later. The Dolphins claimed him and he appeared in one game, against New England in 2021. Because he was inactive most of that year, the Patriots game remains his only NFL action. His next tackle and next pass break-up will be his first.
Still, fans who have seen Williams, especially during the 2022 training camp, remain intrigued.
“I see some stuff on Twitter,” he said. “Everybody’s wishing me great health and want to see me return. I just use that as far as a motivation to come back and give people what they want.”
And cash in on that bet he made on himself.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter @gunnerhal.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins' Trill Williams, now a safety, wants roster spot and much more
