As is always the case in the NFL, injuries have started to pile up across the board. After the first four weeks of the season, teams' depth is being tested. This means that they begin to look at the free-agent market for alternatives and upgrades. This creates landing spots for players who have been waiting for their next opportunity.
Jamaal Williams is one of those players. He hasn't played in the NFL since his two-year Saints stint came to an end in the spring of 2025. But the veteran running back is now getting closer to a potential return. The former Detroit Lions rusher reportedly had a workout with the New England Patriots on Tuesday.
Former Lions RB Jamaal Williams isn't ready to hang up his cleats
As of Wednesday, a deal hasn't materialized, but the fact that the 31-year-old RB is getting workouts is a good sign for his outlook.
Williams had previously expressed a desire to return to Detroit and had reached out to Dan Campbell for another chance, but the Lions weren't interested. Now, he is trying his hand elsewhere in the NFL.
The Patriots have TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson in the backfield, but their rushing attack has left plenty to be desired this season. Both RBs are averaging fewer than four yards per carry. Plus, Stevenson may have suffered an injury toward the end of the Bills game, which may be a big reason why New England had Williams in the facility.
It's difficult to know how much Williams has left in the tank. After leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns and breaking Barry Sanders' TD record for the Lions in 2022, Williams failed to reach those levels again.
He signed with the Saints that offseason, but that stint was a complete disaster. In 27 games across two seasons, he put up 470 yards and two touchdowns and didn't have a run over 17 yards. He was released before his contract was up.
As a result, he spent all of last season unsigned. The fact that the Lions didn't even consider bringing him in when they could have used more RB depth after Isiah Pacheco's injury might be telling.
At the very least, Williams' dedication deserves some praise. Last month, the veteran RB spoke with NFL insider Jordan Schultz and said how much he wants to keep playing and advised all the unsigned free agents to keep trying. He is certainly putting his money where his mouth is. Whether anything comes of it and we see him again on an NFL field, however, remains to be seen.
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