With OTAs and mandatory minicamp officially in the books, all 32 NFL teams now gear their attention towards training camp, which begins next month.
The Detroit Lions will be getting an early start to camp, as they will play in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the end of July. Lions’ rookies will report to camp on July 16, while the vets will make their way to camp three days later (July 19).
Training camp is the most important step in preparation for the season. You have veterans and rookies vying for spots on the 53-man roster or practice squad. At the same time, several vets are still sitting in free agency, hoping for their next opportunity.
Some of those vets have ties to the Lions, most recently Za’Darius Smith, who clearly wants to return to Detroit. However, one former Lions playmaker is still a free agent after a down 2024 season.
Ex-Lion Jamaal Williams Still Sitting in Free Agency Weeks Before Training Camp
The particular playmaker we’re talking about is veteran running back Jamaal Williams. The veteran running back became an instant fan favorite in Detroit for his personality and his approach to football.
Williams wasn’t the fastest running back or the most talented, but he carved out a role in the Lions’. In 2022, the veteran playmaker had 601 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 153 carries in 13 games. He also showed off his receiving skills, posting 26 receptions (28 targets) for 157 yards.
While it wasn’t earth-shattering numbers for Williams, he did set career-highs in carries and rushing yards despite sharing snaps with D’Andre Swift.
However, Lions fans will never forget what the veteran running back did in 2022, as he was a touchdown machine. Williams had his first 1,000-yard rushing season (1,066) on 266 carries, once again sharing snaps with Swift.
But the veteran running back exploded for an NFL-leading 17 rushing touchdowns. Williams was an unstoppable force inside the opponents’ 1-10-yard line. They knew what was coming, but still couldn’t slow down the veteran running back.
Despite having a career year on the ground, the Lions reshuffled their backfield, as they drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and signed David Montgomery.
Meanwhile, Williams took his talents to the Big Easy, signing a three-year, $12 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. In his first year with the Saints, the veteran running back recorded 306 yards and a touchdown on 106 carries across 13 games, which were career lows.
He then followed that up with 164 yards on the ground and a score on 48 carries this past season. With Williams’ production dwindling over the last two years, the Saints cut ties with the former Lions this offseason.
Now, with training camp right around the corner, Williams is sitting in free agency, which isn’t a shock, especially with the talented rookie class at running back. That said, it will be interesting to see if the ex-Lion gets a call soon to show that he still has something left in the tank.