Where will Marcus Williams sign this offseason?

By: Jake Rajala

The New Orleans Saints free safety Marcus Williams has arguably been the most underrated player on his team and one of the most under-the-radar defenders in the entire NFL. Williams, who was once hailed as the defender that was responsible for the “Minneapolis Miracle”, has been cemented as a Top 5 FS in the league. Pro Football Focus proudly named Williams a second-team All-Pro player for his production in 2021.

Williams has 15 interceptions, 38 pass deflections, and 320 combined tackles in five seasons in a black and gold uniform. The scary part is that he is only 25 years old (drafted at age 20) at this point in his career. Williams has plenty of potential and he is quietly working towards obtaining a Hall of Fame type of career. He is at a fascinating part in his tenure, as he faces free agency in the 2022 offseason. So, the question is: where will Williams sign as a free agent? Here are a few destinations that make the most sense.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints clearly have a lot of praise for Williams, as they franchise tagged him in the 2021 offseason. They know that he’s one of their best young players and he’s playing in a position that holds the 33-year-old Malcolm Jenkins. They could realistically lose Jenkins to retirement next offseason or even this offseason. The Saints secondary should still have safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson long term, who is a legendary trash talker, but he isn’t quite the deep-range safety that the Saints need. Williams was drafted to be that player and he should remain that profile with the Saints long-term. I expect Jameis Winston to be prioritized, but Williams should be second in line to get paid.

In reality, It would make sense if the Saints treat Williams as a higher commodity than Alvin Kamara. They could be able to keep stars like Kamara while paying Williams. If they need to free up money for Williams, I expect the likely suspended Kamara to be one of the players that could be potentially dealt away for William’s place on the team.

Cincinnati Bengals

It would be poetic if Williams followed former Saints defensive backs Von Bell and Eli Apple (also former Saints pass rusher Trey Hendrickson) to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals had a stud in Jessie Bates playing FS for them in 2021, but he will face free agency this offseason. They could look to upgrade at the position and the interest between Williams and Cincy could be strong.

Williams will want to chase a Super Bowl trophy and have a big payday. The AFC Champions last season, who carry the third-most cap space, could tempt Williams to join his long-lost brothers. The Bengals pose the best combination of success and money to attract Williams, but the Saints familiarity with Williams could overrule his temptation to flee to the dark side of the AFC.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks free safety Quandre Diggs is heading into free agency after breaking his leg in the final week. It’s a slightly dim look for the 29-year-old’s chances to remain with Seattle long-term. The Hawks could have their replacement with the young Williams. The safety tandem of Marcus Williams and Jamal Adams would be a breathtaking scene in the NFC West and they could wreak havoc together for many years to come. Adams needs to have a fire lit up under him, but I expect him to benefit from more motivation and a defense that will supply more talent around him. He was himself early on in Seattle, but he often struggled in coverage (ranked 90th and below for much of 2021) and fared poorly against the run last season.

The Seahawks carry the 8th most cap space (roughly $36.5 million) and they could likely choose to give Williams a bigger offer than almost any modest team interested in his talents. The Seahawks wouldn’t have the Legion of Boom with Williams and Adams, but it would be a massive step in the right direction. The Seahawks gave up the second-most passing yards per game in 2021. They absolutely need to ink one or two elite defensive backs in free agency.

Honorable mention:

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are one of the borderline playoff contenders (9-8 in 2021) that have a boatload of money (fourth in cap space) and could choose to get fancy this offseason. They will probably look to add a couple of weapons for their young QB that threw for 5,000+ yards in 2021. They could use a quality, young TE to join Justin Herbert’s lethal offense. Profiles like Eric Ebron or Zac Ertz would make sense for LA. On the defensive side of the ball, they need more juice to complement their ascending offense. They have Joey Bosa and Derwin James, but they need more pieces to fill in the puzzle. The safety combination of Derwin James, Marcus Williams, and Nasir Adderley would be a phenomenal defense against Patrick Mahomes for the next decade in the AFC West.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are a fascinating wildcard team to land Williams in my opinion. The Chiefs are like the old version of the Drew Brees-led Saints. They can score at will, but they also surrender countless points to their opponents. To make matters worse, the Chiefs could lose a crucial pass defender in 2022. Tyran Mathieu, also known as the “Honey Badger”, is a free agent in 2022. The Chiefs might be happy with replacing the Honey Badger with Williams. The Saints free-agent safety is also four years younger than their soon-to-be free agent. The Chiefs would struggle to pay Williams a king’s ransom, but he could take less money to chase Super Bowl rings with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. It also wouldn’t be a total shock if the Honey Badger returned home to the Saints, while Williams went to the Chiefs. Williams could help the Chiefs prevent Joe Burrow and Josh Allen from torching the Chiefs defense in pivotal postseason matchups.