Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is one of the best defensive minds in the league, and his influence can turn around players or even entire units around very quickly.
Look no further than the Seahawks' own defense this season for proof of that. Seattle's defense was a mess in 2023, particularly against the run, but became a very solid unit by the end of the year when Macdonald had really settled in. Yes, the unit was very different in terms of personnel, but Macdonald's coaching made an undeniable difference.
For an example of the opposite effect, a solid player declining after Macdonald's departure, then there's free agent safety Marcus Williams, who was just released by the Baltimore Ravens this week.
Under Macdonald, who was the Ravens' defensive coordinator from 2022-23, Williams was a very solid coverage safety and good foil to Kyle Hamilton. After Macdonald left to become the Seahawks' head coach in 2024, he became a liability in coverage and was relegated to a healthy scratch for the latter part of the season.
That's not an insult to new Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, but it was abundantly clear that Williams didn't fit in his system.
While it may be hard to look past his poor performance last season, Williams truly is a solid player who can be effective in the right situation. In fact, CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr believes him to be the best safety left in free agency.
"Crazy as it seems, Williams is still only 28 years old," Kerr wrote. "Last season was a disaster, as he failed to record an interception and allowed a 115.6 passer rating when targeted as the primary defender in coverage in 11 games. Teams could get a good player in Williams with the right scheme. Williams did allow just a 52.0 passer rating in coverage over his first six seasons."
If Williams is looking to get his career back on track, perhaps a reunion with Macdonald could be just what he needs.
Safety definitely isn't Seattle's most pressing need, but it could definitely use some depth behind starters Julian Love and Coby Bryant. Williams could also be a good mentor for Bryant, who is still growing into his starting job. For the right price, he could be a solid option.
If there's any doubt on how much of an influence Macdonald had on Williams, just listen to what he had to say about the Seahawks' head honcho.
"He takes his time to teach us every single day to lock in on those small details," Williams told reporters in July of 2023. "If we have a mess up here and there, he's making sure we correct these [mistakes]. He's not going to wait until the film room. He's going to say, 'OK. This is what you guys need to do right now.' And then when we go in the film room, we correct it again so that we know that next time we come out here it's corrected, and we're ready to go."
