K'Waun Williams is one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL and a vital component of the San Francisco 49ers defense. There was some concern that he might be among several players slated to depart for other teams this offseason.
However, Williams was re-signed to a one-year deal and, for the most part, San Francisco's brain trust managed to keep the team mostly intact.
When healthy, Williams has proved his value. He showed that in 2019 during one of his best campaigns, posting an 80.3 overall Pro Football Focus grade during his over 700 snaps in the regular season. During the ensuring playoff run, Williams allowed just 66 receiving yards in three playoff games.
Recently, Bleacher Report compiled a list of every NFL team's "secret weapon", where the focus was "primarily on players who have never been named to the Pro Bowl or a first-team All-Pro selection but who could be key cogs during the 2021 season," but also including "assistant coaches who aren't regularly recognized" for some teams.
For the 49ers, that player was K'Waun Williams.
Bleacher Report noted Williams's effectiveness in the secondary in both 2019 and 2020, despite his limited time on the field.
"However, despite missing eight games in 2020, Williams amassed 22 tackles, two sacks, four passes defended and a forced fumble. He allowed an opposing passer rating of just 81.9. When healthy in 2019, Williams was even more productive. He notched two interceptions and allowed an opposing passer rating of 76.1. Expect him to be one of the most important pieces of San Francisco's secondary this season."
Despite his contributions, Bleacher Report still believes that the nickelback is one of the more under-appreciated players on that 49ers defense.
"San Francisco will likely lean on its defense again in 2021, and cornerback K'Waun Williams might be the most overlooked member of that unit."
With the 49ers getting their star pass-rusher Nick Bosa back for the 2021 season and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans stressing a more aggressive attack defensively, the secondary could be seen as a second-fiddle, making Williams a sensible pick for the 49ers's secret weapon.