Last offseason when the Cincinnati Bengals signed Orlando Brown Jr., left tackle Jonah Williams was moved to right tackle while trade rumors swirled.
Before the season when he was told he would have to change positions, he asked for a trade.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, Williams played every single snap at right tackle and did so well. Now at the end of the season, he will be a free agent.
Williams was head coach Zac Taylor’s first draft pick in 2019, and he said he appreciates that he’s one of the people Taylor wanted to start building a team around a year before they took Joe Burrow in the 2020 draft.
He didn’t say whether he wants to be back with the Bengals yet since he was asked right after the win over the Browns and he hadn’t had time to think about it, but he did say he gave it his all over the past five seasons.
“They gave me the chance to do this and I gave them everything I had,” Williams said. “All I could do is be the best right tackle I could be. That’s what I was doing at left. I’ve proven I can play both. What I end up doing in the future is kind of unknown right now.”
Williams has played left tackle for most of his career, but since Brown is under contract for three more years, if he re-signs with Cincinnati, he will likely have to be on the right side of the line moving forward.
There’s also the fact that left tackles normally make more money than right tackles since almost all quarterbacks are right-handed, and they protect the blind side. That will certainly be a consideration for Williams as he heads into free agency.
He has made himself a sought-after target in free agency, so there will be other teams going after him. But right now, all Williams is concerned about is being able to spend time with his daughter during the offseason, and he is thankful for his time in Cincinnati.
“I gave my all,” Williams said. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m proud of what we built here and appreciative of the opportunity.”
