Eagles Film Study: Avery Williams Can Truly Do It All

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has made plenty of moves this offseason as the franchise looks to return to the Super Bowl. Yet one of Philadelphia’s initial signings in free agency has seemingly flown under the radar this offseason.

The Eagles signed Avery Williams to a one-year, $1.2 million contract just a few days into the start of free agency. Williams played several different positions during his time with the Atlanta Falcons, yet the Eagles have listed the 26-year-old as a return specialist.

After former Eagles punt returner Britain Covey dealt with several injuries last season, it was clear that Philadelphia needed to add a return specialist. Yet there’s a chance that Williams will be much more than just his listed position in the City of Brotherly Love.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni lit up like a christmas tree when he was asked about the addition of Williams in April. While Sirianni discussed Williams’ return ability, he also hinted at a potential role on Philadelphia’s offense as well.

Subscribe to “The Philly Special Show” on YouTube here!

Williams began his career at cornerback for the Falcons in 2021, which is the position he played for four seasons at Boise State. Williams played 122 total defensive snaps during his rookie season in Atlanta, according to Pro Football Focus.

In year two in the NFL, Williams made the switch to running back and recorded 35 total touches for 170 total yards and one rushing touchdown. Following a successful transition to running back, Williams suffered a major knee injury during the offseason in 2023.

After returning to the field for the Falcons in 2024, Williams focused primarily on special teams. He played a career-high 361 total snaps on special teams and became a core player for Atlanta’s unit in his final season with the team.

Williams’ ability to play on offense, defense and special teams is a truly special skillset that is rare in the NFL. Unlike Covey, Williams isn’t strictly a return specialist and has experience playing on kickoff coverage, punt coverage and field goal block units.

Now it’s time to take a look at how Williams is able to contribute in nearly every facet of the game. Here are five different plays that showcase Williams’ skillset and how he can truly do it all.

Avery Williams Slows Down an All-Pro

While Williams is a proven return specialist in the NFL, this play as Atlanta’s personal protector might have been the one that sold me on his fit in Philadelphia. Williams can be a core special teams player for the Eagles from day one and he showcased his ability to cover punts on this play. Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims was a First-Team All-Pro returner in 2024 and Williams was able to chase him across the field and limit Mims to just a six-yard punt return.

Avery Williams Will Be an Upgrade at Kick Returner in 2025

Kenneth Gainwell was Philadelphia’s primary kick returner last season and averaged 25.3 yards per kick return. Williams enjoyed his best season as a kick returner for the Falcons in 2024, as he averaged 27.2 yards per kick return. He recorded a 38-yard kick return against the Saints last season, which would have been the second-longest kick return for the Eagles in 2024. While Isaiah Rodgers and Will Shipley showed promise at times, Gainwell had more kick returns than both players combined in Philadelphia.

Avery Williams Offers Explosiveness as a Punt Returner

After Covey’s injury forced the Eagles to expose Cooper DeJean to hits as a punt returner last season, Williams should provide Philadelphia with a more reliable option at the position. Williams averaged 9.3 yards per punt return last season, which ranked in the top 10 among players with at least 20 punt return attempts. He showcased his explosiveness on this 58-yard punt return against the Bengals in 2022. Most importantly, Williams has never muffed a punt or kick return in his NFL career, according to Pro Football Focus.

Avery Williams Showed Promise at RB

While Williams was an electric returner in college, he never played running back until his second year in the NFL. In just his fifth career game at the position, Williams broke through Tampa Bay’s defense in the red zone for his first career rushing touchdown. Williams followed his blockers, found a lane and spun past Buccaneers safety Keanu Neal for the score. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry in his lone season at running back and it’ll be interesting to see if the Eagles will utilize him in the backfield in 2025.

Avery Williams Has Alignment Versatility on Offense

Williams’ role on offense for the Falcons in 2022 wasn’t limited to just running back. He also hauled in 13 receptions on 14 targets for 61 yards and three first downs. Yet the most encouraging sign of Williams’ usage in the passing game was his alignment versatility. In 90 total snaps on passing plays, Williams played 19 snaps as a slot wide receiver (21.1%) and eight snaps as an outside wide receiver (8.9%), according to Pro Football Focus. He showcased his ability after the catch on this 10-yard reception against the Buccaneers.

It’s clear that Williams is a player that can wear multiple hats on any given team. He has shown the ability to play legitimate roles on offense, defense and special teams throughout the first four seasons of his NFL career. Williams’ versatility could make him a valuable role player for the Eagles in 2025, as he can serve as Philadelphia’s return specialist, while also providing depth at several different positions.