Tennessee Titans: Five Reasons Receiver Damian Williams Will Improve in 2012

After a torn ACL ended star wide receiver Kenny Britt's season, the Titans desperately needed someone to step up and make plays. Nate Washington enjoyed a career year, going over 1,000 yards for the first time, but Damian Williams began flashing signs of serious potential.

Here are five reasons you can expect him to improve in 2012.

His Age

Entering his third year as a pro, Damian Williams is only 23 years old. This isn't to say that getting older naturally makes you a better player, but more experience and maturity can only help.

After a lackluster effort against the Steelers during Week 5, offensive coordinator Chris Palmer revealed that Williams was not taking his role as seriously as needed. They reportedly had a heart-to-heart and Williams has shown improvement since.

Again, expect his improvement to continue.

A Full Offseason

Williams is someone you can expect to see improve with a full offseason. With the new coaching staff, Williams was forced to learn a new playbook with new concepts virtually on the fly.

As the season went on and Williams became more comfortable in offensive coordinator Chris Palmer's system, he showed marked improvement.

He cut down on the drops and became more consistent. With a full offseason, you can expect him to take a leap forward.

Raw Physical Ability

Although he rarely gets recognized for it, Williams is a freak athlete. He has the ability to extend and snatch the ball out of the air. He became somewhat known during his 2011 campaign for freak catches, including many dives or toe taps near the sideline.

Perhaps his most important catch came during Week 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On fourth down, with the game on the line,  Williams caught a 2-yard pass in the back of the end zone, making sure to get both feet in bounds.

The Emergence of Jared Cook

Jared Cook lit the league on fire during the final three weeks of the 2011 season, posting a total of 335 yards during that time span. As Cook continues to develop into a reliable threat, look for defenses to back off of Williams even more.

With Britt, Washington and Cook all on the field, Williams should be left virtually uncovered. If he can continue to cut down on the drops, the Titans may be an offensive powerhouse for the first time in decades.

The Return of Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt is a top-five receiver when healthy, and his return to the lineup is sure to open things up for receivers Nate Washington and Damian Williams. While Williams was covered as a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver for most of the 2011 season, he will benefit from more lax coverage as teams set out to blanket Britt.

In essence, this creates a "pick your own poison" scenario, where if teams choose to double-team Britt, Washington or Williams will be open for a potentially big gain.