Pats sign S Tank Williams

[GPR11788]

Where did Tank Williams play?

Is he any good?

 

[Fixit]

Looks like he's really let himself go:

 

[Rob0729]

P.S. I think he is going to be a rotational guy with Harrison unless he returns to his old form. Here is Scout Inc. take on Tank:

Williams, a six-year veteran, was acquired in the offseason to push for a starting position but was relegated to a backup role. He has great size and power. His toughness in run support is apparent when he aligns in the box. The closer to the line of scrimmage he plays, the more effective he is. He is a solid special teams contributor. He is somewhat one-dimensional and can be exploited in coverage. He reads and reacts well but isn't athletic enough to make many plays on balls in the air. He lacks the quickness and burst to stay with interior receivers or tight ends and is a liability in pure man coverage. He might be most effective adding weight and moving to linebacker. He provides solid depth but is a niche athlete best suited to specific packages. Minnesota wants him back--but at the right price.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/fa?playerId=3573

Seems like he is perfect for our system since he has good read and react skills.

 

[PonyExpress]

I like this move. Williams was a very talented player who could lay the lumber with Tennessee. Then he had that devastating shattered knee cap in 2006 preseason, recovered for a year, and worked his way back on special teams with Minnesota. There is no risk and the ceiling could be high if he is truly healed. He could be an intimidating thumper back there and Rodney insurance.

 

[sebman2112]

Myself, Dryheat and some others have been calling for another Safety in the draft, and that with our thinking Meriweather will play Safety. So, I don't understand the surprise. If anything he'll be their 3rd or 4th Safety. I'm pretty certain that Meriweather is the teams best FS, and he'll be a 2008 starter. Tank has a Strong Safeties build, and ability (6'3' 223lbs).

Rotoworlds source:

Tank to Patriots
Safety Tank Williams today became the fourth unrestricted free agent to leave the Vikings, signing a one-year contract with New England.

Williams, 27, appeared in 13 games with two starts last season for the Vikings after missing all of 2006 because of a training-camp knee injury.

The Vikings signed Cincinnati's Madieu Williams last week to start opposite Darren Sharper but still are looking for some depth at safety, with Mike Doss expected to leave via free agency.

http://blogs.twincities.com/Vikings/2008/03/tank_to_patriots.html

 

[Disco Volante]

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: Pats sign Tank Williams

Someone has to replace Wilson.

Yup, and on a one year deal. From a Pioneer Press Vikings blog:

Tank to Patriots
Safety Tank Williams today became the fourth unrestricted free agent to leave the Vikings, signing a one-year contract with New England.

Williams, 27, appeared in 13 games with two starts last season for the Vikings after missing all of 2006 because of a training-camp knee injury.

The Vikings signed Cincinnati's Madieu Williams last week to start opposite Darren Sharper but still are looking for some depth at safety, with Mike Doss expected to leave via free agency.

Somebody already updated Wikipedia too. He signed with Minnesota as a FA then shattered his knee in camp. They somehow were able to cut and resign him and cut him again. Don't know what that was all about. Apparently they wanted him back on yet another deal but he said no thanks.

 

[Pats726]

It's already in Wikipedia....but NOT on his own website....A few years ago..I remember a few who liked him pre-Vikings..a solid hitter...Hmmm does make you wonder about Rodney...nahhh

 

[JoePats]

That scouting report posted by Rob0729 makes him sound like a poor-man's version of Rodney.

 

[upstater1]

Where did Tank Williams play?

Is he any good?

I really like his two best songs, "Are you ready for some football??!!" and "I'm Proud to be an American, where at least i know I'm free," even though the latter doesn't make grammatical sense.

 

[JR4]

Has Injury history:

http://min.scout.com/a.z?s=63&p=8&c=1&nid=3148555

2006: After being signed by the Vikings with the intention of replacing Corey Chavous, before the Vikings could play their first preseason game, he tore his left ACL, the same knee he injured that wiped out half of his 2004 season.

2005: Started all 16 games for the Titans, finishing third on the team with 78 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

2004: Started nine games before being lost for the season with a left ACL injury. Finished the year with 52 tackles, one sack and force fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception

2003: Started all 16 games at safety, finishing fourth on the team with 81 tackles and added two interceptions, a half-sack and five passes defensed.

2002: Started all 16 games as a rookie, with 69 tackles, two sacks, one interception, 10 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal.

 

[DaBruinz]

I really like his two best songs, "Are you ready for some football??!!" and "I'm Proud to be an American, where at least i know I'm free," even though the latter doesn't make grammatical sense.

The second line is actually from "God Bless the U.S.A" by Lee Greenwood, who lost the rights to in to the US Government due to back taxes.

 

[sebman2112]

I like this move. Williams was a very talented player who could lay the lumber with Tennessee. Then he had that devastating shattered knee cap in 2006 preseason, recovered for a year, and worked his way back on special teams with Minnesota. There is no risk and the ceiling could be high if he is truly healed. He could be an intimidating thumper back there and Rodney insurance.

Exactly. He was a mid-second round pick back in 2002, and had a productive season in 2005, then got injured before the 2006 season even started. His 2007 was basically the same as CJ's, just trying to get back to health after a serious injury. If he can get back to 100% (I'm not saying he will), then he could actually add something to the team.

He's more of an in the box SS, as he's big and has good run stuffing ability. His coverage isn't great.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I really like his two best songs, "Are you ready for some football??!!" and "I'm Proud to be an American, where at least i know I'm free," even though the latter doesn't make grammatical sense.

Poor Tank Williams don't get no respect. First he's mistaken for Tank Johnson and then for Hank Williams. 6'2", 223 lbs., good size. Can he run?

 

[Zeke_Mowatt]

Gotta love that he's a Stanford product as well - shows enough intelligence that BB has to love his upside; sounds like we got him for next to nothing so again, just like the Webster signing, we get another guy who WANTS to play here, who is smart, bit, and was known for hard hitting and run stuffing before a major injury that he's almost 2 years past. I love the pickup!

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm not a big fan of Meriweather moving to CB but Belichick knows what his CB need more than I do. What would I like to see ? Meriweather as the FS and we are left with 3 SS types, Harrison, Sanders, Williams. I hate to type this but it only costs us $700K if Rodney is not on the roster and $3.7M if he isn't. Barring a changed contract, I'm not sure Rodney returns. Yes, I felt dirty typing that.

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

I like this signing. When healthy, he's a natural, hard-hitting SS who's also a smart player out of Stanford.

I really want to see the Pats DBs get back to smacking receivers around again and punishing the smurfs coming across the middle.

 

[Iron Helmet]

Tank is a ST player in 2008. Plays situationally. Is in the mix when Rodney steps down in 2009.

 

[BelichickFan]

Tank is a ST player in 2008. Plays situationally. Is in the mix when Rodney steps down in 2009.

For now he's only here in 2008.

 

[patpatriot]

2 ACL injuries to the same knee? Sounds kinda shaky to me.