The Kansas City Chiefs might be able to strengthen their running back room even further for the stretch run.
On Monday, the Atlanta Falcons released veteran RB Damien Williams from their injured reserve list. Williams was placed on IR back in September with a rib injury, but according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he’s both rested and healthy.
Williams spent three seasons in Kansas City and was pivotal during the team’s Super Bowl LIV run. He amassed 1,127 scrimmage yards on 214 touches with 13 total touchdowns across the 2018 and 2019 regular seasons with Kansas City. The veteran running back previously held the franchise record for the most career postseason touchdowns (10), which all came between the 2018 and 2019 playoffs.
The now 30-year-old running back didn’t play during the 2020 NFL season, opting out amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chiefs would ultimately release him ahead of the 2021 free-agency period.
Falcons have released veteran RB Damien Williams, per source. Williams is said to be “100% healthy and well rested.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 12, 2022
Williams appeared in just one game for the Falcons this season recording only one carry for two yards prior to his injury. In 2021, he played in 12 games with the Bears, carrying the ball 40 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes for 103 yards and a score.
While Williams hasn’t been able to produce at the same level since leaving Kansas City, he’d be a great emergency option for the team in this final stretch of the regular season and the postseason. His versatility to be able to contribute as a runner, a pass-catcher, a pass-blocker and even on special teams would make him an extremely valuable asset. There’s also something to be said about his chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, even if it’s a few years removed.
The only question surrounding a potential addition is the NFL’s waiver wire. As one of the winningest teams in the league, the Chiefs don’t have great waiver priority. They’ll need a lot of teams to pass on claiming Williams in order to place a successful claim. That’s probably a little easier to accomplish with a player who is being waived from injured reserve. It’s also a possibility that no one claims Williams, which could allow the team to add him to the practice squad.
