Who is the most underrated player on the Arizona Cardinals? A number of players would come to mind. You could name right tackle Kelvin Beachum, who quietly locked down his position after getting signed late last offseason and then signing a very reasonable contract this offseason.
You could also mention safety Jalen Thompson, although he missed a tone of time last season.
However, Pro Football Focus has a different idea. Naming the most underrated player for every NFL team, they go with tight end Maxx Williams.
A former second-round pick, Williams was a dynamic receiving weapon as a draft prospect, but he has since been relegated to the role of a blocking tight end who rarely sees the football in the NFL. He has shown he can still make plays when his number does get called and has averaged 13.2 yards per catch over the last two seasons, 7.6 of which has come after the catch.
If you ask the Cardinals, they feel strongly about how important Williams is to the offense. I don’t know if he is underrated.
His position is undervalued in the Cardinals’ offense.
He was fantastic in 2019. However, 2020 was an unmitigated disaster for him. He entered training camp with an ankle issue. He only played in nine games all season, missing practice regularly and never having his ankle fully heal.
That has been the story of his career.
He is talented. He blocks very well. He can catch the ball some and get yards.
The issue is not knowing whether he can be counted on.
There is no doubting his impact. It is a matter of whether he can stay on the field.
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