Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series begins today with a look at fourth-year defensive lineman DeShawn Williams, No. 99.
Before the Broncos: Williams (6-1, 292 pounds) had a bumpy road before finding a home in Denver. After playing college football at Clemson, the defensive lineman entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2015.
Williams spent two years with the Bengals, bouncing between the active roster and practice squad. He then had a brief stint on the Broncos’ practice squad in 2018 before short stints with the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts. He later returned to Denver again in 2019 for training camp.
After failing to play in any regular-season NFL games from 2018-2019, Williams spent a season in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders in the summer of 2020. After that, he returned to the Broncos for a third time — and stuck.
Broncos tenure:Williams was a depth player for the Broncos to begin the 2020 season, initially beginning the year on the team’s practice squad. Denver called him up to the active roster due to injuries on the defensive line and Williams never looked back, quickly winning a starting job.
Williams started 11 games for the Broncos in 2020, totaling 37 tackles, six quarterback hits, three pass breakups, two sacks and one interception. After years of struggling to catch on in the NFL, he had a breakout season when given an opportunity.
Williams remained a key rotational defensive lineman in 2021, healthy for 15 games, earning eight starts. Williams recorded 39 tackles, five quarterback hits and one sack last season.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Williams has a strong chance to make the team this year and the 29-year-old veteran might even begin the season as a starter. Broncos’ fourth-round pick Eyioma Uwazurike will likely make a push for playing time, but Williams has the edge going into training camp given his experience and production over the last two years.