We are living in an era where "positionless" defenders are deadly weapons in the hands of coaches like Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Early on at training camp, linebacker James Williams Sr. could be quickly carving out a key role in sub packages and potentially emerging as a secret weapon for the defense.
Player development is one of the biggest reasons everyone in the Titans' fan base should be excited about what Coach Saleh brings to the table as a head coach. The progression you typically see from players under Saleh comes as a result of a coach understanding what a player is good at, and putting him in positions to succeed.
James Williams has mostly played special teams through his first two NFL seasons, but the Titans envision using his history playing the safety position combined with his outstanding size to play a hybrid type of role, and he's impressing early on at camp.
James Williams Sr. emerging as a possible weapon for Titans' defense in 2026
Gus Bradley likes what he sees from James Williams (@begreat_20) pic.twitter.com/v5NSpfde6Q
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 4, 2026
It wasn't long ago that it seemed Williams might be fighting for his roster life, but he's started to stack some days and make enough plays consistently to flip that narrative on its head.
JAMES WILLIAMS SR.!
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) August 4, 2026
One-handed INT on Mitch Trubisky, over the shoulder.
Bad throw, but killer play by Williams. Second pick on Trubisky and you now need two hands to count his plays made the last few days
Not every player comparison is necessary or completely 1-to-1, but if you're looking for someone to potentially compare James Williams to that has played under Saleh in the past, a name to keep in mind might be Jamien Sherwood.
Sherwood was a safety coming into the NFL just like Williams, and he made a very successful conversion to the linebacker position under Saleh while he was with the New York Jets.
These are the types of players who can really thrive with smart defensive coaches, and they can be extremely valuable in a number of different situations. When you go to a dime look defensively, you are typically taking a linebacker off the field and replacing him with a safety to come and play in the box so you're not too vulnerable against the run. A player like Williams could match up well as a player coming on the field in the dime package to either play man coverage against big slots/tight ends, or even blitz and get after the quarterback.
Right now, the Titans have Cody Barton and Cedric Gray entrenched in the starting lineup, and Anthony Hill Jr. as the future at the position, but someone like Williams can still play a role this coming season after logging less than 200 total defensive snaps over his first two NFL seasons.
According to Gus Bradley (in the video above), the Titans laid out a clear vision with Williams for how they want to use him this season, so he lost about 20 pounds, has hit the ground running doing what they are asking of him, and he's making plays.
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