Miami Dolphins Newest Player Mario Williams is Ready for a New Challenge

On Tuesday, the Miami Dolphins announced that the team had signed defensive end Mario Williams to a two-year, $17 million contract. On Wednesday, Williams talked to the media during a conference call and he said he’s ready to get started in Miami because he has something to prove.

“Every day I wake up I feel like I have something to prove, “Williams said. “I can’t wait. It’s almost like one of those things where the first time you came to college, the first time you played NFL football, it is that same feeling. I don’t even look at age or whatever. I actually think I’m young. And I feel that way and I know as far as my body, every year, I’m stronger and faster than I was. What comes along with playing in the league for this amount of years is the knowledge. It’s almost unfair for certain… to a certain extent whenever somebody has the mental of what’s going on and understands those things but still has the same attributes that they did before.”

Williams, a former four-time Pro Bowler, is coming off his worst season since being selected as the No.1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Last season for the Buffalo Bills, Williams recorded just 19 tackles and five sacks in Rex Ryan’s 3-4 defense.

In 2014, while playing in a 4-3 defense under then defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Williams was a first-team All-Pro as he registered 14.5 sacks. Williams said it is more about how a defense uses him, instead of the actual scheme.

“Honestly, when you get down to it, to what they have me doing,” Williams said. “I think for a 4-3, it really doesn’t… to me. I think they are both beneficial in their own ways. It’s just all about utilization. And I know (Vance Joseph) and his mindset as that coordinator. It’s going to be… the dogs are going to hunt. Guys who get after the quarterback are going to get after the quarterback.”

Williams had a lot of interest from other teams such as the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, just to name a few. He said the information he had about the Dolphins as well as the direction the organization wants to go in played a crucial role in his decision.

“Meeting with the owner (Stephen Ross), it was really shocking to me… I can say I’ve never… I’ve never been in the room with an NFL owner and it was like talking to somebody who is 30-years old,” Williams said. “He was cool to interview with. To be part of something with someone who has so much enthusiasm – so much energy and passion towards the team and then it trickles straight down to the last guy – the outlook is definitely determined as far as every coach that’s there, every player. Everybody knows where they’re going and what direction we want to take it. So, that was huge in having a mindset that we are definitely in this to win. We’re making moves; we’re doing this. We’re going to get that, definitely, if they came for me.”

Williams will team-up with last year’s free agent signing Ndamukong Suh and veteran Cameron Wake and that should help improve the Dolphins sacks total from a season ago. Miami ranked 25th in the league in sacks with 25.

Grimes released

Miami officially cut cornerback Brent Grimes on Wednesday afternoon. Grimes had been with the Dolphins since the 2013 season. He played in three Pro Bowls while in Miami and started in 47 games and totaled 166 tackles, 13 interceptions and 43 passes defended. 

Dolphins announce Bryon Maxwell, Kiko Alonso trade

On Wednesday shortly after the new league began at 4.p.m eastern, the Dolphins announced the team acquired linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell and the No. 13 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. In return, the Dolphins will send the Eagles the No. 8 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

Alonso played in 11 games for the Eagles last season as he recorded 45 tackles (35 solo) and one interception in his only season for the Eagles. Also in his only season in Philadelphia, Maxwell had 64 tackles (53 solo), forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble in 2015.

Twitter: @antwanstaley