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Later than most but just in time, DeShawn Williams hits his stride

The Broncos' defensive tackle is a quintessential story of perseverance.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — There was a long stretch of years when it was easy to lose track of DeShawn Williams’ football career.

He was a productive four-year player for Clemson but when he was ready to join the NFL in 2015, he was considered not quite big enough for a defensive tackle at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds.

In the 7 ½ year span from when he signed with the Bengals as an undrafted rookie in 2015 through the end of November of this year, Williams had 3.5 sacks to his career. In his three games since the calendar flipped to December 2022, Williams had 4.5 sacks.

Credit: AP
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Mike James (25) rushes for yardage in front of Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle DeShawn Williams (69), free safety Derron Smith (40) and defensive end Will Clarke (93) during the second half of a preseason NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Talk about getting your sacks in bunches.

“God’s got his hands on me,’’ Williams said this week. “I’ve got a great group of coaches, a great group of teammates, man. Just stacking weeks, stacking days, just putting in the work.”

After anchoring the Denver defensive line for Christmas against the Los Angeles Rams, Williams will turn 30 on Thursday. Just in time to hit his professional stride.

“It’s a blessing and a curse that I didn’t play earlier in my career,’’ Williams said. “I don’t have any wear and tear on my body. I’ll be turning, what, 30? But I don’t feel it. So that’s good. I don’t have a lot of games under my belt but since I’ve been here it’s been a blessing. This team gave me my shot so I’m taking advantage of it.’’

The first time Williams’ name was planted here was during a side conversation with Broncos head coach Vance Joseph during 2018 training camp.

“The buzz is DeShawn Williams is the surprise of camp,’’ Joseph said.

Joseph was the Bengals’ defensive backs coach in 2015 when Williams entered the league. It was the start of three years of competing mostly on the Bengals’ practice squad for Williams. In January 2018, Joseph brought Williams to Denver, which turned out to be the first of three stints for the defensive tackle in the Mile High City.

Credit: AP
Denver Broncos defensive tackle DeShawn Williams leaves the field after an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

For all the buzz Williams generated in camp, he didn’t make the Broncos’ season-opening roster. He then bounced to practice squads with the Dolphins and Colts, before returning to Denver for the offseason of 2019. Then it was on to the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League for a season before returning to the Broncos midway through their 2020 COVID training camp.

This time he stuck. A rotational defender for a time, Williams ability to stay healthy – or more accurately, an ability to grind through aches, pains, bumps and bruises and make it to Sunday – eventually moved him to the front line.

In the past three games, Williams became the Broncos’ version of Warren Sapp. He chased down Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley for sacks at Baltimore on Dec. 3, then last week helped the Broncos defeat Arizona, 24-15 with 2.5 sacks. Joseph, Arizona’s defensive coordinator, had a close-up view of the defensive monster he helped create.

“It’s hard work paying off. Last week, I give a lot to Dre’,’’ Williams said in humbly crediting fellow defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones, who was out with a fractured hip. “Me and Dre’ we stayed up late watching tapes. Bounced ideas off him, what he think I could do. I don’t rush like him. I’m not him. Dre’ is superhuman. He does what he does but we just put in time with what I could do and it paid off.”

Williams is a player who earned his way. And a case can be made he’s just getting started.

Credit: AP
Denver Broncos defensive tackle DeShawn Williams stretches during pre-game warm-ups while wearing cleats in honor of the late former Bronco Demaryius Thomas before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

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