Cary Williams Behind, But Predicts ‘Cream Will Rise To the Top’
With Cary Williams missing a good chunk of these OTAs, cornerback Curtis Marsh has been running with first team opposite Bradley Fletcher. Now that Williams is back, the assumption was that he would supplant Marsh at right corner. On Tuesday, though, that was not the case — Marsh was still with the ones.
Williams strongly recommended that the media not make too much of it.
“If you guys look into that situation outside, I think that’s an issue,” said Williams. “It’s not an issue to me.
“I have taken a month off. I understand that and I understand what the coaches want: they want guys that are able to communicate, who understand the defense so that we can run seamlessly through the plays. I haven’t been here, so I’m trying to get acclimated to what the calls are, what the defense wants of me.”
Williams took some time away from the game to get married and get a few other things in order. The time off was planned before he was signed by the Eagles, he said. The last time he was with the team the coaches had only installed three coverages. Now they are up to somewhere between 30 and 40 coverages, according to Williams. There’s some catching up to do.
“He did miss a good amount of insertion when we were in Phase II during that first week of OTAs, but he’s a sharp kid, really gets football really, really quickly,” said Chip Kelly, “so it’s just a matter of Coach [John] Lovett and [Todd] Lyght getting those guys up to speed, but I think he’s starting to feel a little more comfortable out there.”
In the meantime, Marsh gets an opportunity to try and impress (as much as one can impress while running around in shorts, anyway).The third-year player out of Utah State was unable to establish himself under Andy Reid, and few factored him into the cornerback competition heading into this season, even with the departures of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha. But the 6-1, 197-pound converted running back is hoping to take advantage of the fresh start.
“Sure, I feel like everybody has a clean slate opportunity with a new coaching staff because they are going to want to form their own opinions about the players and do their evaluations themselves,” said Marsh.
“I’m not reading into anything because we’re in May right now. Camp starts in August, season starts in September. Just continue to work hard until then and not take anything for granted.”
As for Williams’ take?
“Once we put the pads on it’s a different ball game,” he said, “and the cream will rise to the top.”
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