Oakland Raiders: What we learned from Preseason Week 2

Oct 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Justin Ellis (78) against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 23-13. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Williams and Justin Ellis Look Dominant Against the Run

Free agent addition and former Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dan Williams signed a four-year, $25 million contract this offseason in hopes of becoming a solution to Oakland’s lack of talent along within the their interior defensive line, and the 28-year-old defensive lineman is already proving he’s worth every penny.

Entering his sixth season in the NFL, Williams is a powerful defensive presence that primarily played nose tackle during his time in Arizona within their 3-4 defensive scheme. At 6’2″, 314 pounds, Williams is an aggressive playmaker that prides himself in shutting down an opponent’s run game by penetrating the backfield and effortlessly getting off the block.

Although Williams moved on to a 4-3 scheme with the Silver and Black, he is still capable of physically dominating the middle of the defense and his overall production has been impressive.

Williams accumulated three solo tackles, one of which resulting in a loss of yards, in a little over one and a half quarters of play against Minnesota.

Although the numbers don’t leap off the paper, Williams still had an impact on a majority of the plays he was on the field, as he often looked unblockable.

Williams’ partner in crime Justin “Jelly” Ellis, who you can see taking on a double-team in the video above, also put together an impressive performance.

At 6’1″, 334 pounds, the former 2014 fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech is a massive defensive tackle that has come accustomed to taking on double-teams and even pushing the pocket from the interior on passing downs. Though his presence is often overlooked on the stat sheet, Ellis properly took on blocks and rarely got pushed off the line of scrimmage allowing the linebackers behind him to effectively make plays in the backfield.

Next: Murray Continues to Shine