On Wednesday evening, veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams decided to sign his franchise tag tender, guaranteeing that he will be a member of the New York Giants for at least one more season and potentially more.
However, not everything was completely smooth sailing.
While Williams did sign his tender and will join the team for their virtual offseason program after missing the first few days, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that he will file a grievance over his position, seeking to be classified as a defensive end as opposed to defensive tackle.
Additionally, Duggan reports that Williams has already filed a grievance over his fifth-year option.
As Duggan notes, there is a $1.8 million difference on the franchise tag depending on his positional classification. However, Williams faces an uphill battle to get classified as a defensive end because even when playing outside in a 3-4 scheme, he’s considered an interior lineman due to a linebacker playing over his shoulder.
However things shake out, Williams will remain with the Giants through the 2020 season and potentially beyond.
Note: Williams does not actually file the grievance himself, but has the NFLPA do it on his behalf.
