When a bunch of NFL teams are thirsting to sign a center in August, you know two things: first, he's a high-quality lineman and second - he is also good at the business of pro football. Both are the case for former Miami Dolphins center and Dallas Cowboys left guard Connor Williams, who currently has several teams vying to sign him in free agency, including the Seattle Seahawks.
The latest stop on the Connor Williams free agent world tour was Baltimore, where he met with the Ravens yesterday, according to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN, who says Williams "should make a decision soon."
Center isn't generally considered a high-value position in the modern NFL, but that calculus can change really quickly when you don't have a decent starter on the roster. Seattle is one of the teams with nothing more than a couple of question marks at this spot going into the 2024 season.
Yesterday the team released their first unofficial depth chart of the season, which shows Olu Oluwatimi still at the top of the rotation ahead of former Washington Huskies lineman Nick Harris. However, after Monday's practice head coach Mike Macdonald made it abundantly clear that the competition at this spot is open - so much that he repeated it several times.
Nick Harris getting 1st-team reps with Olu Oluwatimi. #Seahawks have talked to/are interested in signing free-agent center Connor Williams.
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 5, 2024
The competition to start at center? Coach Mike Macdonald says, multiple times “it’s open.” @thenewstribune pic.twitter.com/Wm27ug0FgI
To these ears it sounds like this battle is little too open. That's why the Seahawks are eager to sign Williams, who has passed a physical after suffering a major knee injury last season.
Most likely Oluwatimi and Harris are competing for the right to be the team's primary backup at this position. If they sign Williams he is practically guaranteed to be the starter come Week 1, even if he only gets a handful of practices in before the game.
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