Dez Bryant: ‘Something outstanding has gotten into’ Terrance Williams

Terrance Williams isn’t focused on being in a contract year. Instead, he’s focused on taking another step in his fourth season with the Dallas Cowboys.

If he does the latter, after all, the former will take care of itself.

And Williams has impressed so far in training camp and played well in the preseason opener Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, hauling in a 32-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott early in the second quarter.

“Terrance – his mind is on a whole totally different level,” fellow wide receiver Dez Bryant said. “Something outstanding has gotten into him. He loves it. He wants to be a playmaker, which he is a playmaker. And he is tired of all the critics.

“He is showing everybody what he can do.”

Williams has consistently flashed playmaking ability with his speed. He has 16 touchdowns to go along with 133 receptions and 2,197 receiving yards in three seasons with the Cowboys.

But Williams has been plagued by questions of his consistency and his perceived issues in becoming the No. 1 receiver when Bryant has been injured.

Those criticisms, though, have not been from within the organization. Coach Jason Garrett raved about Williams on Monday, pointing to a sequence in the preseason opener in which Williams made a nice downfield block on a run and then caught the TD.

“To me, it was a great illustration of what he’s all about, doing the dirty work, making as good of a block as you’ll ever see a receiver make in the National Football League and coming back and doing the other stuff he’s paid to do,” Garrett said. “His mindset, his mentality is outstanding. It’s outstanding on the practice field and it certainly was the other night in the game.”

For his part, Williams is determined to make the most of this season. As stated, he brushed off the notion of being in a contract year.

“That really doesn’t matter because then I’ll start doing stuff that I’m not used to doing,” Williams said. “I’m focused on getting better day in and day out and being the guy that they brought me here and drafted me here to be.

“I can’t keep coming out here, keep saying the same things and keep talking about the same thing. I’ve got to show up to work and do it and let my play speak for myself.”

This story was originally published August 15, 2016 at 9:15 PM with the headline "Dez Bryant: ‘Something outstanding has gotten into’ Terrance Williams."