Ravens DT Brandon Williams earns first Pro Bowl selection

In the wake of an injury to Geno Atkins, Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams has been added to the Pro Bowl roster. Williams, 29, had yet to earn a Pro Bowl selection in his six-year career prior to this announcement.

Williams will join three other Ravens in Orlando, Florida, for the Pro Bowl on January 27: Eric Weddle, C.J. Mosley, and Marshal Yanda. Shortly after learning he was selected, Williams released a statement expressing his excitement and gratitude.

Williams is just two years in to the five-year, $54 million dollar contract he signed with Baltimore in 2017, which made him one of the 15 highest-paid defensive tackles in the league. While some claim he hasn’t quite lived up to his gaudy contract, Williams has been a stabilizing force on the Ravens defensive line.

At 6-foot 1-inch tall and 336 pounds, Williams is a stout presence for opposing offensive lines to block. He again helped anchor a Baltimore defense that ranked #1 overall and allowed the fourth fewest rushing yards per game this season, trailing only the Texans, Saints, and Bears.

He finished the season with 34 total tackles and a sack, both of which were slightly higher than last season. Williams played and started all 16 games for the fourth time in his career. Pro Football Focus gave him a 76.8 grade for the year, which ranked 35th at the position.

There’s an argument to be made that teammate Michael Pierce, not Brandon Williams, should have earned the Pro Bowl nod. In 14 games, Pierce had just two less tackles than Williams but recorded 1.5 more tackles for loss. He also earned a significantly higher grade from Pro Football Focus of 91.0, which was the fifth-highest among all defensive lineman.

Nonetheless, Pierce and Williams compliment each other well and form a stout tandem on the Ravens defense. While it came as a result of an injury to another player, making it to the Pro Bowl is a notable accomplishment for Williams.