The Bengals coaches have always liked backup safety Shawn Williams and what’s not to like?
As linebackers coach Matt Burke said Monday, “He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s willing.” And on Saturday night against the Bears he was a nickel linebacker for the first extended amount of time in his three seasons.
Williams made his name more as an in-the-box safety in college at Georgia, but when the Bengals took him in the third round in 2013 then defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer vowed, “I’ll get him to cover.”
Zimmer is now the head coach of the Vikings, but Williams is here and he covered tight ends and running backs well enough Saturday that Burke is encouraged by his 15 snaps replacing nickel linebacker Emmanuel Lamur.