Jim Owczarski

jowczarski@enquirer.com

DeShawn Williams found himself facing an important career decision in early December 2015. The Cincinnati Bengals had signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson that spring and kept him on the practice squad – but with four games left in the season, he had a chance to take a big leap: a league source indicated the New Orleans Saints called to offer him an immediate spot on the 53-man roster and playing time.

Williams had to take stock of the situation.

He was disappointed to not make the Bengals roster after an impressive preseason, but he looked down the line of lockers around him and realized that it’s a business and a numbers game. The 10 linemen the team kept included two second-round picks, four third-round picks and three fourth-round picks, along with eight-year veteran Wallace Gilberry.

But he also became close to those players and the coaches.

He chose to stay.

Williams would eventually make the 53-man roster, replacing an injured Brandon Thompson for the Bengals’ AFC wildcard round game against Pittsburgh. He did not play, however.

In 2016, Williams is looking to prove he made the right decision to stay and that the Bengals were correct in believing he was a worthwhile investment.

Kicker looking for new identity with Bengals

“He’s maturing fast,” said Thompson, a fellow Clemson Tiger who lockers near Williams. “And he works hard, every day. Like never takes a day off. I love his routine. He sat around and learned from the older guys and he just took all that in and just built on it. His body is changing. You can tell he’s been working really hard.”

Williams carried between 285 and 290 pounds last year, but when he weighed in at the start of voluntary workouts in April, he was surprised to see “300.”

At first, he was concerned, but after consulting with the Bengals training staff it was determined it was a good weight, thanks to his offseason training regimen at the Ignition facility in Mason.

“It probably put 10 pounds of muscle on me,” Williams said. “I’ve never been 300. Then my numbers in the weight room were up, so I was like OK, it’s a good thing. I didn’t lose a step from my quickness at all.”

And then Williams consulted with new defensive line coach Jacob Burney, who told him 300 pounds with his quickness could benefit him.

“As far as I’m concerned, the bigger the better – when you can move,” Burney said. “This kid certainly can move. I just felt hey, he can carry that; he’ll be all right with that from that standpoint.

“He’s in the interior of the situation. It gets heavy in there, with doubles and combos. Those few pounds will help him hang in there so to speak.”

It’s all part of the larger goal of hanging around Cincinnati longer. Williams knows the math, and the formula looks eerily similar to a year ago.

“It’s the same: Go in as the guy that’s still being overlooked,” he said. “A lot of people just see oh, he was on the practice squad; he wasn’t good enough to make the team.

“But a lot of people on this team know what I can do and they’re just ready for everybody else to see what I can do.”

Bengals Offseason Outlook: Defensive line

Gilberry is gone to Detroit, but Andrew Billings was drafted in the fourth-round. Thompson is still rehabbing from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and could start the season on the physically unable to perform list, potentially opening up a spot for the first six weeks of the season.

“It shows a lot that they kept me around,” Williams said. “They could’ve drafted a three-technique. This year, I have that mindset that it’s all fair game now. I had that year under me, and now I saw how it works. Now I have to make it count. Now I have to show them what I can do because this year, in my head, I want to play, and I think they know I want to play. So it’s me capitalizing on my opportunities.”

A lot can happen between now and the end of the preseason. Players around the league will be released, or suffer injuries. Holes will open. And for Williams, his teammates have no doubt his time is coming.

“He’s come a long way,” said ninth-year veteran and locker neighbor Pat Sims. “I’ve been with him since he got here. He’s made a lot of strides. I’m sure it’s going to pay off soon. He’s still young and he’s got a lot to learn still. We’re here to help him, regardless of which direction he goes. Even if he went to another team he still could hit me up. I’m just glad he’s here and that I met him. Great guy.”

Bengals-Saints rarely meet, but share history