Coaches marvel at what he’s doing to start opener. Seahawks’ new C Connor Williams shrugs
Yet again, Connor Williams came out early for practice. Again he waited on Geno Smith to join him.
Then the Seahawks’ brand-new center practiced more snaps with his quarterback.
Yet again, Williams stayed late well after practice ended. The former Miami Dolphins starter met with offensive line coach Scott Huff to go over more details.
After the latest lessons in his crash course learning new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s offense, Huff’s new line calls, Smith’s preferences and tendencies, his four fellow starting offensive linemen, his city, his and his wife’s new home, Williams...chilled.
He went up to an ice-cream stand.
The Seahawks had one set up off the edge of their practice field following drills Thursday for their season opener Sunday against the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field (1:05 p.m., channel 7).
Williams, 27, ordered a scoop of vanilla, in a cup.
How fitting. Williams, a veteran of six NFL seasons starting for Dallas and, the last two, Miami, doesn’t see what he’s trying to do in two weeks to start the Seahawks’ opener 8 1/2 months following reconstructive knee surgery as all that exotic.
It’s plain. It’s ordinary. It’s his job.
“Doing well,” Wiliams deadpanned to The News Tribune as he ate his ice cream on the edge of the field. “Weather’s been nice. The city’s pretty cool — or just, cool.
“Not Miami, no.
“Done a lot in three weeks. But, as expected, you know?”
Well, depends who you ask.
Williams signed with Seattle three weeks ago, a one-year contract with $3 million guaranteed. At that money, he’s starting. But to do that Sunday in the opener, he’s spent the last two weeks practicing for the first time since he tore the ACL in his knee in December, in what became his final game for the Dolphins. He’s learning Grubb’s formations and play calls, and Huff’s protection calls for the linemen the center must disseminate before each snap.
“It’s very diverse,” Williams said of Seattle’s offense.
His first practice was Aug. 23. He’s learning and practicing in only two weeks what his teammates have been studying and practicing for five months.
All this, while Williams is learning daily how his reconstructed knee is responding the rigors of practice upon practice, let alone to a game.
The detailed Grubb’s background is in offensive-line coaching. The Seahawks’ new play caller doesn’t just understand what Williams is attempting.
He marvels at all Williams is doing and learning in such a short time.
“It is extremely hard, and I don’t think people would really understand or really comprehend how tough that is for a guy,” Grubb said. “And luckily for us, Connor’s a vet. He’s been to multiple NFL teams. He understands what it takes to get the lingo into how his brain functions.”
Grubb said Williams has done “an outstanding job” of taking his and Huff’s terminology and play calls, relating them to what he understands from his years with the Dolphins and Cowboys, “then entrenching it in our terminology.
“So, he’s just a really bright guy,” Grubb said, “and I’ve been really impressed with his work ethic.”
Like Williams’ Dolphins experience
Told of Grubb’s marveling at and praising him, Williams just shrugged.
To him, he hasn’t done anything yet. He hasn’t played in a game.
Williams was a starting guard his first four years in the league for Dallas; the Cowboys made him a second-round pick out of the University of Texas in the 2018 NFL draft. He moved to center two seasons ago, his first year playing for Miami.
He likens this rushed transition to starting week one for his new team with only two weeks of practices to learning his new position with the Dolphins a couple years ago.
“You know, I went to Miami, that was the first time I played center. It was obviously a lot, definitely for first OTAs (offseason practices in the spring) and being able to go through the program,” Williams said. “I think I might have taken for granted how that was not just a first-time(at-a-position) thing. That’s a center thing.
“And so it’s definitely been a transition. But I mean, everyone’s been so open and so helpful. And I mean we’re working through so many things. And so it’s been I’d say a great adjustment. And I mean, Geno’s been awesome. Ad the whole line’s been awesome and open and welcoming.
“I think it’s been a great building block. I really think we’re finally together, that we’re actually building momentum together.”
Can Williams be Seattle’s future at center?
When Williams makes his Seahawks debut Sunday, he will the 10th center the Seahawks have had start a game in the 10 years since they traded Pro Bowl center Max Unger to New Orleans. That mostly failed trade was to acquire tight end Jimmy Graham. It set back Seattle’s offensive line for most of the last decade.
The Seahawks enter this season committing the fewest dollars in salaries to their offensive linemen than any team in the league, 32nd out of 32. They have four rookies among the 11 O-linemen on the 53-man roster. That includes sixth-round picks (guard Sataoa Laumea and tackle Mike Jerrell) and an undrafted rookie (third center Jalen Sundell).
To say the Seahawks need stability and year-over-year success at the line’s anchor position of center is an understatement.
They must have it for Grubb’s and Smith’s offense to succeed.
He said he learned from the Cowboys’ veteran linemen his first years in the league — Tyron Smith and Zack Martin — the value of vets helping younger players to build a line and a team.
“I’ve really taken that to heart,” Williams said, “just being able to give back and teach the younger guys.”
Schneider, the team’s GM, said last week the Seahawks had been interested in Williams since the spring. That was only a few months after Williams tore his ACL. That shows how interested they are in him, for perhaps more than 2024 — and how concerned they were months ago that second-year center Olu OIuwatimi was on track to be the starter until Williams arrived weeks ago.
Though he’s signed only for this season — essentially his trial run following the knee reconstruction — can Williams be that guy Seattle’s so lacked at center?
“Most definitely,” he said.
He took another spoon-full of his vanilla ice cream.
“I mean, obviously the future’s got its own problem,” Williams said. “So, just worrying about today.”
This story was originally published September 6, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
