Offseason workouts are officially over, and we won’t see the Chargers in action again until July, when training camp starts up.
Over the past month, players from around the league have started to make impressions on their coaches, who could be important for their teams in 2019.
ESPN’s Eric D. Williams selected his surprise offseason standout for the Bolts, and it’s a player who many fans are familiar with. Williams tabbed cornerback Trevor Williams as the player that has caught the attention the most.
Hampered by a nagging knee injury, the Penn State product lost his starting job to Michael Davis last season after starting 15 games in 2017. Now healthy, Williams is moving like his old self and is battling Davis to win his starting job back. “He’s earned that opportunity,” Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “It’ll be a great, competitive situation come training camp.” Williams’ reemergence is an important development for the Chargers, who are looking to build more depth in the secondary.
Putting the label on Williams as a “surprise” standout isn’t necessarily valid when he has already proven to be good.
Williams emerged in 2017 after he took Jason Verrett’s spot when he was hit with a season-ending injury. He started 15 games and posted 54 tackles (46 solo), 13 passes defensed and two interceptions. With high expectations entering 2018, he was unable to match the season prior because it was cut short due to a knee injury.
He signed his tender back in April to remain on the team. Williams and Michael Davis will compete for the starting job opposite of Casey Hayward. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Williams get his spot back, given the superiority in coverage over Davis, when healthy.
Los Angeles, who was gashed through the air by the Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round, will need Williams to step up and return to his 2017 self, if they want a shot at making a run for the Super Bowl.
