We’re exactly three weeks away from the start of the New Orleans Saints’ regular season — 21 days stand between us and kickoff with the Carolina Panthers. And that makes Jamaal Williams, who wears the No. 21 jersey, our Saints Player of the Day.
The veteran running back has move to prove in 2024. Here’s his story:
- Name (Age): Jamaal Williams (29)
- Position: Running back
- Height, weight: 6-foot, 224 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 4.55
- 2024 salary cap hit: $4,630,000
- College: BYU
- Drafted: Round 4 in 2017 (Green Bay Packers)
- NFL experience: 8 seasons
Williams played high school football in Fontana, outside Los Angeles, and went to college at BYU where he was teammates with Taysom Hill. The Packers drafted him at No. 134 overall in 2017 but he didn’t truly break out until joining the Detroit Lions. After setting career-highs in rushing yards (1,066) and touchdown runs (17) with Detroit in 2022, Williams signed a free agent contract with the Saints in 2023 with a lot of momentum behind him.
It’s tough to describe his 2023 season as anything but a disappointment. Williams saw career-lows in rushing yards (306) and touchdown runs (1) and averaged the worst yards per carry (2.9) he’s seen in the NFL. The hope is for him to rebound in Klint Kubiak’s more-creative running game, but Williams needs to rediscover the extra gear he put to good use in Detroit. This was the first season in which he didn’t have a single run of more than 20 yards.
What else is in store for Williams? The Saints have had him practice in the return game often at training camp, but don’t expect him to field many kicks himself. The new NFL kickoff rules designed by Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi call for two returners to hang back deep, and it’s likely they envision Williams as a lead-blocker for Rashid Shaheed. We’ll see if that’s truly the plan once the season begins. Williams needs to do whatever he can to help the team, or else a younger, less-expensive and more-dynamic teammate could take his place.
