ILB Vince Williams "upset" about team drafting Ryan Shazier

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  • hawaiiansteel
    Legend
    • May 2008
    • 35648

    ILB Vince Williams "upset" about team drafting Ryan Shazier

    Steelers ILB Vince Williams "upset" about team drafting Ryan Shazier

    By Jeff.Hartman on Aug 4 2014



    The second year linebacker from Florida State started in 10 of the final 11 games in 2013, but his job was lost in the offseason when the Steelers selected Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier in the first round.

    Vince Williams is upset. 'Upset' might be putting it mildly. After all, after starting in 10 of the final 11 games in 2013, Williams owned the ILB position that was left vacant by injured Larry Foote.

    What exactly is he upset about? Well, how was he rewarded for his play in 2013? The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted not only an inside linebacker with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, but they selected Ryan Shazier who ran a blazing time at the NFL combine and has been the starter since he first put on a Steelers helmet.

    So much for loyalty, but in today's NFL loyalty is for the dogs. It is a what have you done for me lately league, and in this case Williams had his flaws. That doesn't lessen the sting of what he is experiencing.

    "I was upset. I felt like I did enough to show them what I was capable of, and obviously, I was going to show some progression because I got the reps throughout the entire season." Williams told Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

    Williams is getting the chance to show the team he has progressed, but his job is far from secure heading into his sophomore season. In Monday's practice, with Shazier nursing a sore knee, it was Sean Spence that got the nod at inside linebacker, not Williams.

    Williams has made plenty of headlines in training camp, sometimes for the wrong reasons. For instance, when he and Le'Veon Bell got into a full fledged fight under the lights at Latrobe Memorial field last Friday night. The other headlines have all been news worthy. Big hits, stellar play and a downright drive and determination that comes with someone that feels slighted.

    Williams' ticket to the 53 man roster is most likely going to be on special teams, but for a player with his intelligence and work ethic, you never know what might happen. No one thought he'd be the starting linebacker as a rookie, but there he was getting the majority of the reps.

    Stranger things have happened, but it looks as if Williams will be more than ready if his number is called upon again in 2014, and he will be carrying a large chip on his shoulder throughout the process.

    [URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2014-pittsburgh-steelers-training-camp-news-times-schedule-tickets-updates/2014/8/4/5969507/steelers-ilb-vince-williams-upset-about-team-drafting-ryan-shazier[/URL]
  • Oviedo
    Legend
    • May 2008
    • 23824

    #2
    I'm sure any lesser talented player would be upset and Williams is clearly a lesser talented player
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

    Comment

    • K Train
      Hall of Famer
      • Jan 2014
      • 3685

      #3
      He was the second worst player on the defense last year (Behing Evander of course)

      He was also a rookie, I always thought his ceiling was a 2 down thumper like jasper brinkley, but from all reports he is bringing it in camp. He and Spence have a chance to play if they are good enough....if its too difficult for them to unseat a rookie who may be being rushed into the lineup, who are they to complain?

      Good problems to have

      Comment

      • hawaiiansteel
        Legend
        • May 2008
        • 35648

        #4
        Bob Labriola @BobLabriola ·

        Steve McLendon and Ryan Shazier are not practicing at all today.

        Sean Spence in for Shazier

        [URL]https://twitter.com/BobLabriola[/URL]

        Comment

        • SidSmythe
          Hall of Famer
          • Sep 2008
          • 4708

          #5
          Williams played during our most successful part of the season last yr. For a rookie he showed value... but he's a 2 down ILB...He showed up 10 yrs. Too late
          Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...
          Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...
          Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...!!!

          Comment

          • Ghost
            Legend
            • May 2008
            • 6338

            #6
            I wish he was saying he welcomed the challenge of competing with talent.
            sigpic

            Comment

            • SteelCrazy
              Legend
              • Aug 2008
              • 5049

              #7
              I think he's got the goods, at ILB or OLB. If Jones doesn't kick in this year, Williams should be given a shot there. Haven't heard a whole lot from Jones this camp, other than he's playing better then last year (which isnt hard to do). We have depth inside, but outside we're an injury away from Chris Carter and Arthur Moats. I can't believe thats our depth outside.

              Better yet, we need to sign a proven veteran for the outside. JJ goes down and in comes Moats? At best an above average special teams player.

              I need to go lie down....
              2019 Mock

              1. ILB
              2. CB
              3. ILB
              4. S
              5. CB
              6. ILB
              7. S

              Comment

              • Eddie Spaghetti
                Hall of Famer
                • Jul 2008
                • 4123

                #8
                i think moats may be more than that

                i feel good about him, looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table

                Comment

                • SteelCrazy
                  Legend
                  • Aug 2008
                  • 5049

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Eddie Spaghetti
                  i think moats may be more than that

                  i feel good about him, looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table
                  I hope you're right and I'm wrong
                  2019 Mock

                  1. ILB
                  2. CB
                  3. ILB
                  4. S
                  5. CB
                  6. ILB
                  7. S

                  Comment

                  • K Train
                    Hall of Famer
                    • Jan 2014
                    • 3685

                    #10
                    Moats is a solid starter in the league. One of those guys that can be underappreciated. He's a better signing than let's say keyaron fox who was a solid yet unspectacular player

                    Comment

                    • Ghost
                      Legend
                      • May 2008
                      • 6338

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Eddie Spaghetti
                      i think moats may be more than that

                      i feel good about him, looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table
                      I agree with Eddie. Moats is a decent signing.
                      sigpic

                      Comment

                      • Discipline of Steel
                        Hall of Famer
                        • Aug 2008
                        • 3882

                        #12
                        The "Crazy Eyes" picture made me think less of him for some reason...
                        sigpic
                        Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.

                        Comment

                        • Shawn
                          Legend
                          • Mar 2008
                          • 15131

                          #13
                          Guys Vince Williams is too limited to play in todays NFL. The writer speaks of loyalty...come on. It's about winning. Williams wasn't good enough...if he was he would be starting. They are trying to put packages together that allows them to play against no huddle...guys who can cover and thump. Hence the reason Spence is the #2. Williams would have been a decent ILB a decade or two ago...now? He is a guy who can fill in...in a pinch.
                          Trolls are people too.

                          Comment

                          • JUST-PLAIN-NASTY
                            Hall of Famer
                            • May 2008
                            • 3937

                            #14
                            Williams will be a "role" player. He will make his living on ST, goaline, & short yardage. He can stick on a roster as a spot starter. He's the type of LB an OC attacks in his gameplan. There's no place to hide in football...No right field. Love the fire & passion though. He needs to work hard at his role & continue to get better at his position. He will be limited at LB....But there is room for a guy like that with the ILB depth chart in front of him.

                            Comment

                            • RuthlessBurgher
                              Legend
                              • May 2008
                              • 33208

                              #15
                              If either of our do-it-all three-down ILB's Timmons or Shazier go down, there won't be just one guy replacing him. It will likely be Vince Williams getting the early down work, and Sean Spence on passing downs.
                              Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

                              Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

                              We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

                              We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

                              Comment

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