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Badly in need of speed and veteran linebacking skills, the Denver Broncos announced a quartet of roster moves on Tuesday. The Broncos have signed veteran linebacker Avery Williams to the practice squad, as well as wide Josh Malone.
In two matching rooms, Denver released cornerback Rojesterman Farris and offensive lineman Harry Crider to make room.
The addition of Williamson is an intriguing acquisition. As Tennessee’s fifth-round pick in 2014, the former Kentucky star entered the NFL with a speed of 4.6.
Quickly earning a starting position on the Titans’ defense, he started 47 of 48 possible games over the three seasons after his rookie campaign scoring over 100 tackles a year, with the exception of 2017 (92).
It earned him a big salary, even though it wasn’t in Tennessee. The New York Jets signed a three-year, $ 22.5 million free agent contract with Williamson. He would start all 16 games of the freshman under Todd Bowles, producing his most prolific season as a pro with 120 combined tackles (80 solo), six tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, six defensive passes and an interception.
Unfortunately, Williamson tore his ACL in the following preseason and was traded to Pittsburgh in November 2020. From there he started four games, appearing in eight, scoring 52 tackles (37 solo) in what was a truncated sample size.
Williamson has since languished, but the Broncos saw an opportunity to bring him in and grabbed it. Make no mistake, Williamson might not be the same funder he was in his heyday in Tennessee and New York, but this guy has experience in spades.
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The simple fact is, when he’s on the pitch, Williamson is producing and that’s something the Broncos could really use following the loss of Josey Jewell to the injured reserve. Alexander Johnson remains one of the starting linebackers and has produced back-to-back games after Jewell’s injury of which he is very proud, but Justin Strnad showed his inexperience in Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens, particularly at which point he bit play-fakes and run / pass options.
It will take some time for Williamson, who is still only 29, to level up, but not that much. The Broncos now have some linebacker speed and a vet who can work with receivers.
As for Malone, he is 6ft 3in and 205lb in his fourth year at the University of Tennessee. Selected by Cincinnati in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Malone played 26 games with seven starts with the Bengals (2017-18) as well as the Jets (2019-20). His career stats include 11 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown.
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