Bruising Backup: Why Jamaal Williams could fit in Chicago

Nathan Ray Seebeck - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 9 hours ago

While the Bears don't necessarily need to upgrade the running back position, it never hurts to look at who may be available come Training Camp. With JK Dobbins and Nick Chubb now off the board, the top remaining backs have signed their contracts for 2025, leaving the rest of the running back options searching for the next deal.

Although not the best running back available, Jamaal Williams remains a free agent, and considering he had the best year of his career under Ben Johnson in Detroit, seeing these two men reunite may not be that far-fetched of an idea. The former Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, and Lions running back has never been viewed as a starting running back, but has done more than enough to earn a spot as a reserve back.

When you look at his career numbers, Williams is one of those guys who typically rushes for 500-600 yards per season while adding close to four rushing touchdowns to his name. That's not considered starter production, but when you look at some of the backup running backs in the game, he ranks right up there with some of the best.

Speaking of the best, his best season came two years ago with the Detroit Lions, where Johnson was the offensive coordinator during that season. Brought in to be the backup at the start of the season, not only did Williams emerge as the Lions' top running back option by the end of the season, but they did so by putting up one of the best seasons from a Lions running back in team history.

Not only did he top 1,000 yards for the only time that season (1,066 yards), but he also did so by averaging 4.1 yards per carry, which was only the third time in his career that he topped four yards. Williams also led the NFL in touchdowns from a non-quarterback that season, as his 17 rushing touchdowns were not only a career best but also the most rushing touchdowns in team history, breaking the mark set by Barry Sanders.

The 17 scores that season also account for more than his career mark of 32, so you can see the production he had that season. No one is expecting him to put up those types of numbers again, but when you consider he has just 470 yards and two scores the past two seasons, whatever he had going in Detroit was working.

Whether it was a schematic issue or Johnson himself is a topic for a different day, but it's hard to ignore the production, and that alone makes him an intriguing acquisition for the Bears if they are still looking to add a running back to this team. A complete opposite of what D'Andre Swift is, Williams stands at 6-0 and 224 pounds with a reputation for being a physical and bruising back.

In other words, he would be the perfect change of pace back for Swift, who is known more for his explosiveness in the open field as opposed to tacking the physical punishment of running through the tackles. Considering he signed a three-year deal with the Saints following that 2022 season for 12 million, the cost of Williams wouldn't be much.

Keep in mind he was also let go after just two seasons of that deal, and you have to think adding him would cost this team somewhere in the three-million range for one year. Given what Kyle Monangai has shown this offseason, there is plenty of belief in his ability, and the coaching staff won't be afraid to use him as they see fit.

However, Monangai is still a rookie, and this team is now set up to compete, which is why adding a veteran running back option could be the best move. Not only that, but Williams has always been a terrific locker room presence, and for a young team, that alone is often worth the signing of a player like this. Knowing the Bears pursued Chubb throughout the offseason process, you can't rule out the possibility of Williams or any other back, for that matter, landing in Chicago.