When the Green Bay Packers’ defense takes the field, the spotlight naturally falls on household names.
Micah Parsons is the superstar. Rashan Gary brings edge pressure. Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper patrol the middle with range and force.
But while the front seven commands headlines, the third layer of the defense has showcased a young and hungry ballplayer on the verge of finding his name included among the top young safeties in all of football. A player whose versatility and instinctive play have quickly made him one of Green Bay’s most dynamic pieces.
Evan Williams: The Packers' under-the-radar defensive catalyst
Evan Williams arrived in Green Bay as a somewhat overlooked prospect. A transfer from Fresno State who finished his career at Oregon, he was known in college for traits that often accompany later round, UDFA type of players.
Competitive, high football IQ, and the ability to play anywhere on the back end. In his rookie season, Williams flashed as a nickel hybrid, splitting time between deep safety looks, the slot, and even near the box as a de facto linebacker.
The Packers recognized that what he lacks in prototypical size, he more than makes up for with speed, range, and relentless energy.
What makes Williams stand out is his adaptability. In today’s NFL, safeties are asked to wear multiple hats -- one snap requiring deep coverage, the next demanding man-to-man responsibility against a slot receiver or tight end, followed by a downhill fill against the run. His processing ability allows him to anticipate routes before they fully develop, while his physicality ensures he’s not overmatched against bigger pass-catchers.
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And that’s where the value shines, and why he could quickly assert himself in Week 2 against Washington as he did in Week 1 against Detroit. With so much offensive attention geared toward slowing down Green Bay’s pass rush, now headlined by Parsons, Williams is often free to operate in space. Offenses don’t have the luxury of game-planning around a safety when Parsons and Gary are crashing off the edge, or when Walker and Cooper are knifing through gaps.
Williams benefits from the chaos up front, but he also amplifies it by being a sure tackler and opportunistic ballhawk (two career INTs). His ability to quickly transition from coverage into run support turns small gains into dead ends.
Perhaps the most underrated part of Williams’ game is his veteran presence despite being such a young player. Youth-infused secondaries can struggle with spacing and assignments, but Williams acts like an extra coach on the field.
His leadership has grown, even in just his second year, and teammates have raved about the trust they have in him to be in the right spot. That type of steadiness matters when the pass rush doesn’t get home and the back end has to hold up.
Looking ahead to Thursday, and to the rest of the season, Williams has the profile of a modern safety who can quietly elevate a good defense into a great one. He may never post the sack totals of Parsons or the highlight-reel tackles of Walker, but his fingerprints are everywhere -- erasing mismatches, closing throwing windows, and ensuring explosive plays are limited.
With the high-octane Commanders' offense on the horizon, led by QB Jayden Daniels, Williams' prowess all over the defense will be crucial as he looks to limit the likes of Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, and Zach Ertz up the seam.
In a defense loaded with stars, Evan Williams is becoming the glue that ties it all together.