The team has needed stability at either tackle position for quite some time now, and it looked like they found it last season when former fourth round pick Daryl Williams took several steps forward in his development and became the clear cut starter for the team. Williams went on to have an excellent season, one that earned him second team all-pro honors, and placed him as Pro Football Focus highest rated right tackle.
Now comes the flip-side to having success in the NFL. Daryl Williams wants to be paid handsomely, and according to a report from the Charlotte Observer, a “monster” gap exists between the two sides.
A league source said that the Panthers face a “monster” financial gap between the club and a player in a contract year as negotiations continue - https://t.co/aAARraPExj
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) June 20, 2018
This makes it unlikely we will see any sort of extension happen before the start of training camp, and honestly, that suits me just fine. If the two sides are that far apart, it might behoove the team to let him play out the season and if he has another great year then you can pay him. This is of course assuming he is asking for top five tackle money, which apparently is normal in the NFL these days that if you’re good enough to be re-signed by your own team, you’re supposed to be paid a ton.
The team, for once, is not without options should Williams leave after this season. They have Taylor Moton waiting in the wings, a very promising prospect indeed, but to this point largely unproven in live NFL action thanks to Williams’ success.
My Take
Prove it big fella. Prove to me that last year was not an aberration, and I’ll be happy to let the team pay you handsomely. Honestly, I was surprised to see Williams play get such high praise, as I thought he was quite good, but still not the kind of tackle that earns top money at his position. For example, in the week 17 disaster against the Atlanta Falcons, Daryl Williams had a hard time handling Vic Beasley, a guy who is also very good at what he does, but not one that I would consider an elite pass rusher. If you want to be paid like the best, you need to be able to handle the best.
The team would be smart to spend this season figuring out what it has at various spots. They need to find out if Taylor Moton is a seamless replacement for Williams, or if he is the answer at left guard, then try to pay Williams so you have more solid pieces than you did before. More information is usually better, but sometimes that can make things more expensive. For now, it looks like a deal is quite a ways off anyway.