GM Dave Gettleman Drafted him in Carolina

It is really far too early to talk seriously about 2019 NFL free agency. But, hey, with the New York Giants at 2-7 there is no harm in taking a little sneak peek, is there? Especially since Pro Football Focus has given us a reason to by listing its top potential offensive free agents for the upcoming offseason.

There is one name that leapt off the page when I saw PFF’s list — and it’s not quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The name that got my attention? Daryl Williams, right Tackle for the Carolina Panthers.

Let’s start with this. Williams, 26, was a 2015 fourth-round pick by the Carolina Panthers. Yes, that means current hog-mollie loving Giants GM Dave Gettleman drafted him.

Let’s not be fooled by the solid work of the offensive line on Monday night. The Giants still need help there, and even if they can convince potential free agent guard Jamon Brown to stick around they figure to be aggressively looking for upgrades.

If Brown stays the position most obvious to address would be right tackle, where Chad Wheeler has the lowest Pro Football Focus grade among 58 qualifying tackles.

Williams is currently on IR after suffering a knee injury in the Panthers’ season opener. He was trying to play through an MCL sprain and dislocated patella suffered in training camp.

Here is what PFF said about Williams:

Williams is another player that is sidelined for the remainder of the 2018 season due to injury. It’s a tough break for the fourth-year tackle, as he was coming off a breakout 2017 season in which his 78.0 overall grade ranked behind only Ryan Ramczyk and Lane Johnson at the right tackle position. He showed effectiveness as a run blocker and as a pass blocker with top-10 marks in both among right tackles. Coming off of his rookie contract, Williams makes an intriguing tackle option in the 2019 free agency class. If his improvement in 2017 is anything to go by, whichever team ends up signing him could end up with one of the top tackles in the league.

It’s way too early to make free agency plans, but Williams is at least a name to file away in your memory bank.