How do you see Roy Williams doing this year? (1 Viewer)

[King of the Jungle]

Talent - no question

Desire/Attitude - question

New Coach/OC - New coach works on the attitude, OC provides system for success.

QB - Two newbies that have experienced some success statistically in their careers.

Surrounding cast - With Rogers and Big Mike off to a rough start (to say the least), Roy

appears to be the standout in a potentially statistically friendly offense.

IMO, he has the upside to make the Pro Bowl this season (1300 yds 12tds). His downside of course is more nagging injuries and lack of desire to maximize his potential (800 yds 8tds).

Just curious where everyone is placing their bets.

 

[cscmtp]

I traded him away for the 1.3 rookie pick. I hope he sucks.

 

[Englishteacher]

I like your floor and your ceiling.

I think he will benefit from the improved QB play, that is, if Kitna has any gas left in the tank. I didn't get to see any of the games but I heard he didn't look good last year playing for Cincy. Still he's a vet that brings some stability. Martz probably had a hand in picking him and he knows QB's so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

McCown put up some nice fantasy 300 yard games and all but he was also throwing to Fitz and Boldin with his team down by 47 points often. I wouldn't say he's solid, he's young and mistake prone. His skills may be similar to Harrington's actually, I don't know. However, his personna has got to be more likeable than Joey's because pretty much everyone on that team disliked him at least some. McCown has got some fire and leadership skills so I like him for that. I would like to see him on a somewhat normal team trying to run the show though. Of course the Lions weren't that last year either.

Health would be the key operative for Williams. I like that he hasn't had any major injuries and that more often than not, a very talented player will even out and learn to stay healthy. Ankle sprains and knee bruises go away, we haven't seen any strucural damage yet. At least I'm going to say a younger guy, if he hasn't had any major injuries, should be able to do this.

You'd have to think Detroit will finish around 14th or worse in the league this year so there should be plenty of opportunities for passing and late game catchup - garbage points. It's not like Martz likes to pass the ball anyway.

I think a telltale sign for the franchise as a whole is, what kind of draft(s) are they going to put together? This may not have so much to do with Roy Williams in redraft leagues (if teams pull out two immediate starters from a draft it's often thought a success) but you'd like to see this organization show some direction. Marinelli came from Tampa where he helped some in the draft process with the kings at that (at least before Gruden got there and messed everything up draftwise) , the Bucs. Martz knows offensive talent but he's also an idiot. Maybe now that he isn't the head guy he can just input on what he thinks of guys and let someone else order the draft board. If you see a positive draft with no dumb screw ups, hey, it can't hurt. There could be a chance they pluck a Lofa Tatupu, Vilma, Cadillac, Jamaal Brown out of the draft that has a real impact. Who knows? Maybe the best bet would be to tell Millen there's a doughnut convention in Sarasota in late April if you know what I mean.

I digress.

Roy is a sexy pick for sure but for redrafts, he may still underperform his draft position. There is a chance of that. And he could put it together. The Vibes from training camp will help.

All in all, there are probably some safer picks at WR who will go around the same time.

Interesting player though. And damn sexy. Playing for Martz (although the 6,000 passing plays may be a deterrent) is sexy.

 

[teamramrod]

I live in Michigan, so there is a danger of Homerism here. But here is what i think.

1. Heard about a 15 minute live radio interview with McCown. I was impressed. He is absloutley beside himself about the oppurtunity to learn from Martz. He has thrown to big fast men before in AZ and now can do it for Detroit.

2. Martz.

3. Martz

4. Martz.

5. Why, Martz? He doesnt have to think about defense. Or special teams. Or contracts. Nothing. Just show up, scratch some plays in the sand, erase them all and say Screw it, just everyone go deep.

6. Flashes of greatness. Roy has caught a few balls over the middle that left him exposed and when the DB hit him, the DB bounced off. When he WANTS to play, he is awesome.

7. Ignore last year. That was a big bad poisonous ship of hate and angst. That year is done and over. House is clean.

I would put him at 1000+. I think Bradford will help by drawing some coverage and watch for the emergence of Vines as a solid three.

My two cents.

 

[Baracuda]

My guess is that Martz probably boosts Roy Williams to the 10-15 vicinity in terms of actual fantasy points. But, right now, to acquire him in dynasty leagues for fair value is probably going to be tough because people seem to be putting him in the top 5 category in the leagues I am in. To me, that seems premature and I'm not going to pay that price until I see it on the field next year.

 

[nygiants56]

certified TOP 10 WR , IMO...

he's in the critical '3rd year' for a WR, the supposed breakout season...

I think it happens...Williams should be an improved player, no question...

 

[Velcro]

7. Ignore last year. That was a big bad poisonous ship of hate and angst. That year is done and over. House is clean.

This is where I am. I think we (as FFers) tend to focus on stats and overlook the impact that chemistry and morale have on the success of a team and its individuals (NY Knicks anyone?)I may be overly optimistic, but this may act as a change of scenery without actually leaving. New coaching staff + new QB's = new attitude?

 

[Bankerguy]

He scares me on many levels, which was well articulated by the original poster. Personally, I will probably will pass on him unless he really slides in my draft and the value really stands out.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Roy is going to get nicked up and miss or have games of limited effectiveness every year. It was no different at UT. This will keep him from ever getting to that top 10 tier. I do agree that a healthy motivated Williams is basically unstoppable. You just won't get that for a full season.

 

[TheFanatic]

He scares me on many levels, which was well articulated by the original poster. Personally, I will probably will pass on him unless he really slides in my draft and the value really stands out.

I doubt he slides. Someone in your league will be salivating at the thought of a new QB and Mad Mike as the OC to let him slip. In fact I would bet that someone will reach for him way to early in redrafts...

 

[Coeur de Lion]

I have him in one keeper league and I know that I am very optimistic based on the offseason developments thus far. Clearly, his level of physical ability is on par with just about anyone in the NFL. IMO, Martz will be able to get more production out of that offense, maybe much more. Roy will benefit from that improvement-- it must have been hard to stay focused when Harrington was throwing bounce passes and the offense was stagnating. Even if the Lions still suck, they will be more exciting and effective on offense, which will help Roy stay motivated.

 

[Carpe135]

Desire/Attitude - question

I went to a Lions mini-camp practice last year and I've gotta say, it was blatantly obvious that the Lions' "top 3" WR's were going to amount to jack squat (and by blatantly obvious I mean it didn't get through my homeristic shell, but it should have). They didn't stretch, they ran all of their routes half speed and half ###ed, and clearly didn't care to be there. To top it all off, Mike the rookie was easily the worst of the three!! Sure it wasn't full fledged training camp, but you have to recognize that it is the guys who are going all out even in a mini-camp that are going to flourish during the season. On that note, man, you should have seen Scotty Vines... the difference was like night and day. Granted he may have been fighting for a spot on the team, but he was the only one to carry over any intensity into the regular season.That being said, while I have little hope in Chuck and Mike (thanks to word out of Lions Camp), I think Roy has much better desire and attitude than most would think. I've heard him on the radio a number of times, and I love every minute of it. He is a very level headed player and wants to be pushed. He conceded that he doesn't really understand how to motivate himself and has said that what he really wants is a great veteran presence to show him and the younger guys the ropes. While he may not get that presence in the form of another wide out, he certainly got some coaches who know a little bit about motivation. I think you'll really see a noticeable turnaround in the perceptions of Roy's attitude this year.

Unfortuntately, I can't say that I'm completely sold on him as a fantasy stud this year. My greatest (and pretty much only) worries are the O-Line and the QB situation. We'll see what happens in the draft, and hopefully some new motivation will help our linemen as well. As for the QB's, while Marinelli said that right now if he had to pick, Kitna would be the starter, I think we pretty much all know that McCown is the one who will shine in Martz's offense. Overall, that situation really won't settle until at least mid season... but when it does, look out. Look freaking out.

Finally, beyond having a stake in his success as a Lions fan, I also have Roy in a keeper league. I'm actually looking to trade Harrison or Fitz for draft picks so I can keep Roy. Like many have agreed, in a redraft I'd be leery of taking him too early... but in a keeper or dynasty league, hang on to Roy Williams for the big payout in this year's playoffs and for 2007 and beyond. Not that this is new information to anyone, but you can take it to the bank.

Carp

Sidenote - He hates the low lying bright lights at Ford Field... so temper your thoughts when believing home field is a healthy advantage for him. HTH

 

[MSULions]

1,300 and 13

 

[Rocky J. Squirrel]

hey carpe,

without injuries, will scotty vines be in the top 3 this year?

 

[Hook Em]

Roy is going to get nicked up and miss or have games of limited effectiveness every year. It was no different at UT. This will keep him from ever getting to that top 10 tier. I do agree that a healthy motivated Williams is basically unstoppable. You just won't get that for a full season.

That's pretty much sums it up.The only things that can keep Roy from top 10, top 5 even, are injuries and/or a bad quarterback. Don't ever question his heart, his desire, or his attitude. And that's not just Longhorn loyalty talking, that's an objective assessment from watching him very closely entire college career.

Edit to add: and watching him closely his entire pro career. He has played injured and has had no leadership around him to help him, as a rookie in the NFL, know how to become a professional in the NFL. That's a damn tough transition with no one to push you and mentor you at all (if he had that in Detroit it's news to me, so please speak up if I'm wrong). The heart he played with at Texas when he would drag multiple defenders for yards down the field is still there.

If one of the new Detroit QBs proves good enough, then it's only a matter of if he can stay healthy. No way to predict that of course, but I personally think we'll see him start to stay healthier longer as he gets his body more and more into year round NFL shape/readiness. Texas isn't exactly the best school for forcing NFL caliber physical training/preparation discipline, especially for Offensive stars. Also as he gets older you'll see him start to exhibit the currently lacking veteran qualities, and the fact that he's the veteran will give him even more to work for as he becomes the example setter.

I’m betting on his ability to stay healthy and to get quality QB play and saying top 10 (top 15 at worst) this season, top 5 next.

 

[gman8343]

If he had the heart, he could be putting up TO numbers, he's that talented.

questionable desire + inability to stay healthy (so far) is a big guestion mark.

I do not think he will be a good buy low candidate in drafts - his talent is no secret, and someone will always take a chance early on a guy like Roy, hoping this is the year. Maybe they will be right.

 

[Hawk]

Roy is going to get nicked up and miss or have games of limited effectiveness every year. It was no different at UT. This will keep him from ever getting to that top 10 tier. I do agree that a healthy motivated Williams is basically unstoppable. You just won't get that for a full season.

That's pretty much sums it up.The only things that can keep Roy from top 10, top 5 even, are injuries and/or a bad quarterback. Don't ever question his heart, his desire, or his attitude. And that's not just Longhorn loyalty talking, that's an objective assessment from watching him very closely entire college career.

Edit to add: and watching him closely his entire pro career. He has played injured and has had no leadership around him to help him, as a rookie in the NFL, know how to become a professional in the NFL. That's a damn tough transition with no one to push you and mentor you at all (if he had that in Detroit it's news to me, so please speak up if I'm wrong). The heart he played with at Texas when he would drag multiple defenders for yards down the field is still there.

If one of the new Detroit QBs proves good enough, then it's only a matter of if he can stay healthy. No way to predict that of course, but I personally think we'll see him start to stay healthier longer as he gets his body more and more into year round NFL shape/readiness. Texas isn't exactly the best school for forcing NFL caliber physical training/preparation discipline, especially for Offensive stars. Also as he gets older you'll see him start to exhibit the currently lacking veteran qualities, and the fact that he's the veteran will give him even more to work for as he becomes the example setter.

I’m betting on his ability to stay healthy and to get quality QB play and saying top 10 (top 15 at worst) this season, top 5 next.

As a fellow Texas fan, I'm not sure I agree with you. I love Roy and actually traded Chad Johnson for him last offseason in my keeper league. But the reality is that Roy has always lacked a bit in intensity and desire. He shows heart in spurts, but not consistently. He constantly suffers nagging injuries. His preparation in terms of stretching and taking care of his body was an issue even at Texas.

On the other hand, the guy has incredible god-given talent and can easily put up top 10 WR numbers if he has a decent QB and he stays healthy. The second half of his junior year (after he finally shook off his hammy pull), the rapport that he and Simms had was a thing of beauty. He was totally unstoppable. If he can ever get over the naggy injuries, he'll be a beast. Either way, as a fantasy player, the guy scores TD's so he should put up decent point totals. I'm excited to see him in Martz' offense.

 

[Baracuda]

Roy is definitely not a value pick. The Martz signing has people talking crazy about him. They might be correct, but I don't want to pay top 5 WR prices for him until I see it first.

 

[Floyd The Barber]

2006 Roy Williams = 2001-05 Tory Holt @ Steve Smith 2005 draft values.

 

[Captain Blowhard]

Roy is definitely not a value pick. The Martz signing has people talking crazy about him. They might be correct, but I don't want to pay top 5 WR prices for him until I see it first.

So you draft based soley on last year's stats? That's interesting.

 

[Hook Em]

Roy is going to get nicked up and miss or have games of limited effectiveness every year. It was no different at UT. This will keep him from ever getting to that top 10 tier. I do agree that a healthy motivated Williams is basically unstoppable. You just won't get that for a full season.

That's pretty much sums it up.The only things that can keep Roy from top 10, top 5 even, are injuries and/or a bad quarterback. Don't ever question his heart, his desire, or his attitude. And that's not just Longhorn loyalty talking, that's an objective assessment from watching him very closely entire college career.

Edit to add: and watching him closely his entire pro career. He has played injured and has had no leadership around him to help him, as a rookie in the NFL, know how to become a professional in the NFL. That's a damn tough transition with no one to push you and mentor you at all (if he had that in Detroit it's news to me, so please speak up if I'm wrong). The heart he played with at Texas when he would drag multiple defenders for yards down the field is still there.

If one of the new Detroit QBs proves good enough, then it's only a matter of if he can stay healthy. No way to predict that of course, but I personally think we'll see him start to stay healthier longer as he gets his body more and more into year round NFL shape/readiness. Texas isn't exactly the best school for forcing NFL caliber physical training/preparation discipline, especially for Offensive stars. Also as he gets older you'll see him start to exhibit the currently lacking veteran qualities, and the fact that he's the veteran will give him even more to work for as he becomes the example setter.

I’m betting on his ability to stay healthy and to get quality QB play and saying top 10 (top 15 at worst) this season, top 5 next.

As a fellow Texas fan, I'm not sure I agree with you. I love Roy and actually traded Chad Johnson for him last offseason in my keeper league. But the reality is that Roy has always lacked a bit in intensity and desire. He shows heart in spurts, but not consistently. He constantly suffers nagging injuries. His preparation in terms of stretching and taking care of his body was an issue even at Texas.

On the other hand, the guy has incredible god-given talent and can easily put up top 10 WR numbers if he has a decent QB and he stays healthy. The second half of his junior year (after he finally shook off his hammy pull), the rapport that he and Simms had was a thing of beauty. He was totally unstoppable. If he can ever get over the naggy injuries, he'll be a beast. Either way, as a fantasy player, the guy scores TD's so he should put up decent point totals. I'm excited to see him in Martz' offense.

When you say you don't think he consistently showed heart, do you mean while playing at UT, or since he turned pro, or both?I've seen a lack of intensity since he turned pro as well, but I chalk that up to other factors. If you're saying he didn't consistently PLAY (not talking about off the game field physical preparation) with heart and emotion and desire at UT though, then I'm very surprised. And I have to ask, do you watch every single Texas game every season? Either way, we'll just have to agree to strongly disagree.

As for the nagging injuries consistently bringing him down, and his lack of body condition for football abuse potentially being a root cause of that even at UT, I completely agree. My point there is that I think that will be less of an issue as he gets older and more mature and professional, and it will be advanced if he gets a coach that forces more discipline (which he did not have at Texas or under Mooch).

[Reading between the lines here, I obviously don’t view a player, at this point in their career anyway, accepting a lack of football conditioning as a sign that they don’t have the heart or passion to be one of the greats. A player with eight years under their belt never living up to their potential because they don’t work hard enough in the off season would be a different story though. Here’s to hoping Roy’s not just naturally injury prone.]

 

[SoloMatisse]

I see Roy Williams as an ultra talented player on a team with continued question marks. New HC, new QB, new OC. No history of success. Injuries. Weak support in terms of fellow receivers. Constant double teams. The potential is obviously there with the player, but this is just the type of player that Id only grab as an OBVIOUS no brainer in a mid round if Im already covered with WR1 and WR2.

 

[Bob_Magaw]

an excerpt from FBG 2005 pre-season spotlight, contributed by jason wood...

"In 14 games, Williams caught 54 receptions for 817 yards and 8 TDs. Pro rated over a full 16 game season, that equates to:

62 receptions

934 yards

9 TDs

That would put Williams among the most productive rookie WRs in league history."

keeping in mind this was with a horrifically bad QB, & without martz as OC...

agreed roy is not a slam dunk to be great value in redrafts, as a lot of excitement revolving around martz is likely already priced in...

but in dynasty leagues, he seems similar to andre johnson in terms of athleticism & being a physical specimen, huge upside & unrealized potential...

dre is 220 & won big east indoor 60 & outdoor 100 sprint championships...

roy placed first & broke texas state record in long jump (25'+), was second in high jump (6'10"?) & was third in 100 m at 10.5 in the state meet...

they both have great hands capable of making circus catch, and are as explosive in the open field running after the catch as they are dangerous in the red zone with their height & leaping ability.

 

[Baracuda]

Roy is definitely not a value pick.  The Martz signing has people talking crazy about him.  They might be correct, but I don't want to pay top 5 WR prices for him until I see it first.

So you draft based soley on last year's stats? That's interesting.

No, my point was that I don't like overpaying for people. My point is, there is more risk in a guy like Roy Williams than Chad Johnson or Torry Holt or Larry Fitzgerald because we have never seen him put up a consistent season on the field. Right now to acquire Roy would take a lot because of the Martz signing. A better strategy would have been to acquire Roy before Martz signed not after. You know, buy low, sell high. It's not a good strategy to chase expensive players. You find that interesting too, right???

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Bump. Curious to hear some more opinions on this subject. Thanks.

 

[Keg]

2006 Roy Williams = 2001-05 Tory Holt @ Steve Smith 2005 draft values.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i traded up(aquired an extra 3rd round pick) in an a dynasty draft last yr to get roy at 3.3 and then this yr in another dynasty league i traded up and got him at 3.7in the 1st league Roy is my #3/#4 WR depending on what he vs Rod Smith looks like(CJ and SSmith are my #1/#2

in the second league Roy is my #2 so there is a bit more risk but I have Fitz as my #1 and some solid guys just in case Roy falters

but he does have Top 5 talent and sure has come closer to showing it then AJ has and martz and marinelli are just icing on the cake

 

[TwinTurbo]

Roy is going to get nicked up and miss or have games of limited effectiveness every year. It was no different at UT. This will keep him from ever getting to that top 10 tier. I do agree that a healthy motivated Williams is basically unstoppable. You just won't get that for a full season.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That about sums it up. Roy is a freakish talent and a potential top 5 WR in the NFL. But he also seems to be a high maintenance type of player and a bit of a prima donna. Most WR are like that, but he also gets nicked up frequently and loses focus.

He needs to maintain a higer level of consistency before he can enter the elite tier of WR. He certainly has the talent to be there.

 

[BearsFan4Life]

IF Big Mike and Rogers can 1. be healthy and 2. have the desire/attitude to play I think Roy will benefit greatly from them as well as new coach and qb...

That being said I just acquired him for Branch and Rookie 2.05

He is my 4th WR (my bye week fill in for now) to go with SSmith, Holt, and Ward and with this being a 16 Team Dynasty am completely satisfied with my WR..now if I can only find a RB to go with SA

 

[Aabye]

I think of Roy Williams' situation as similar to Corey Dillon's a few years ago when he made the move to the Patriots. There were concerns about his attitude & commitment in Cincy and the question was whether a change of scenery could turn things around.

I've never thought of Dillon or Williams as having a bad attitude or a lack of commitment. They were both just stuck on terrible teams with no commitment to winning. If (and it's a big if) Martz can install an offense that instills confidence that Detroit can compete, I very much doubt that you'll ever hear questions about Williams' attitude or toughness again, just as you never hear about Dillon's alleged selfish attitude now that he's on a winning team.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I think of Roy Williams' situation as similar to Corey Dillon's a few years ago when he made the move to the Patriots. There were concerns about his attitude & commitment in Cincy and the question was whether a change of scenery could turn things around.

I've never thought of Dillon or Williams as having a bad attitude or a lack of commitment. They were both just stuck on terrible teams with no commitment to winning. If (and it's a big if) Martz can install an offense that instills confidence that Detroit can compete, I very much doubt that you'll ever hear questions about Williams' attitude or toughness again, just as you never hear about Dillon's alleged selfish attitude now that he's on a winning team.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like this analysis.

 

[Hawk]

Roy is going to get nicked up and miss or have games of limited effectiveness every year. It was no different at UT. This will keep him from ever getting to that top 10 tier. I do agree that a healthy motivated Williams is basically unstoppable. You just won't get that for a full season.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's pretty much sums it up.The only things that can keep Roy from top 10, top 5 even, are injuries and/or a bad quarterback. Don't ever question his heart, his desire, or his attitude. And that's not just Longhorn loyalty talking, that's an objective assessment from watching him very closely entire college career.

Edit to add: and watching him closely his entire pro career. He has played injured and has had no leadership around him to help him, as a rookie in the NFL, know how to become a professional in the NFL. That's a damn tough transition with no one to push you and mentor you at all (if he had that in Detroit it's news to me, so please speak up if I'm wrong). The heart he played with at Texas when he would drag multiple defenders for yards down the field is still there.

If one of the new Detroit QBs proves good enough, then it's only a matter of if he can stay healthy. No way to predict that of course, but I personally think we'll see him start to stay healthier longer as he gets his body more and more into year round NFL shape/readiness. Texas isn't exactly the best school for forcing NFL caliber physical training/preparation discipline, especially for Offensive stars. Also as he gets older you'll see him start to exhibit the currently lacking veteran qualities, and the fact that he's the veteran will give him even more to work for as he becomes the example setter.

I’m betting on his ability to stay healthy and to get quality QB play and saying top 10 (top 15 at worst) this season, top 5 next.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a fellow Texas fan, I'm not sure I agree with you. I love Roy and actually traded Chad Johnson for him last offseason in my keeper league. But the reality is that Roy has always lacked a bit in intensity and desire. He shows heart in spurts, but not consistently. He constantly suffers nagging injuries. His preparation in terms of stretching and taking care of his body was an issue even at Texas.

On the other hand, the guy has incredible god-given talent and can easily put up top 10 WR numbers if he has a decent QB and he stays healthy. The second half of his junior year (after he finally shook off his hammy pull), the rapport that he and Simms had was a thing of beauty. He was totally unstoppable. If he can ever get over the naggy injuries, he'll be a beast. Either way, as a fantasy player, the guy scores TD's so he should put up decent point totals. I'm excited to see him in Martz' offense.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you say you don't think he consistently showed heart, do you mean while playing at UT, or since he turned pro, or both?I've seen a lack of intensity since he turned pro as well, but I chalk that up to other factors. If you're saying he didn't consistently PLAY (not talking about off the game field physical preparation) with heart and emotion and desire at UT though, then I'm very surprised. And I have to ask, do you watch every single Texas game every season? Either way, we'll just have to agree to strongly disagree.

As for the nagging injuries consistently bringing him down, and his lack of body condition for football abuse potentially being a root cause of that even at UT, I completely agree. My point there is that I think that will be less of an issue as he gets older and more mature and professional, and it will be advanced if he gets a coach that forces more discipline (which he did not have at Texas or under Mooch).

[Reading between the lines here, I obviously don’t view a player, at this point in their career anyway, accepting a lack of football conditioning as a sign that they don’t have the heart or passion to be one of the greats. A player with eight years under their belt never living up to their potential because they don’t work hard enough in the off season would be a different story though. Here’s to hoping Roy’s not just naturally injury prone.]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe lack of heart is not exactly what I mean. More like lack of toughness. I did watch every game Roy played at Texas, and I'm not sure I could point to a specific instance, but my overall impression of Roy at Texas was that he has freakish physical talent and makes spectacular plays, but he doesn't really like to get hit and he is injury prone. I guess I'm not sure he truly loves to play football. All that being said, I'm a big fan of Roy, I traded Chad Johnson to get him on my keeper league team, and I'm hoping for big things from Roy this year!

 

[Baracuda]

I think of Roy Williams' situation as similar to Corey Dillon's a few years ago when he made the move to the Patriots. There were concerns about his attitude & commitment in Cincy and the question was whether a change of scenery could turn things around.

I've never thought of Dillon or Williams as having a bad attitude or a lack of commitment. They were both just stuck on terrible teams with no commitment to winning. If (and it's a big if) Martz can install an offense that instills confidence that Detroit can compete, I very much doubt that you'll ever hear questions about Williams' attitude or toughness again, just as you never hear about Dillon's alleged selfish attitude now that he's on a winning team.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like this analysis.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like your comparison also. But, Corey Dillon's attitude HAS come into question again in New England. It went away for one year, but when he was given a new contract his play suffered last year. Some in New England wonder if his bad year was due to the injury or just Corey being Corey.I don't question Williams' attitude as much as his ability to stay healthy. He seems injury prone to the point that it makes me wonder if he can handle the rigors of a full season.