From Detroit Duo to Chicago? Bears hosts Jamaal Williams for workout |
Dustin Riese
· · 5 hours ago
In what has been an ongoing debate for the better part of the summer, the Chicago Bears are still in the market for roster improvements as they continue to prepare for the regular season. One of the areas mentioned for potential upgrade was the running back spot, as D'Andre Swift is the lone experienced back in that room.
Sure, Roschon Johnson is entering year three, but with limited NFL carries and a rookie in Kyle Monangai behind him, should anything happen to Swift, the Bears could be in panic mode if that area isn't addressed. The Bears are considering an upgrade at that position, and they are looking at adding a name that has been floated around for a while, as free agent running back Jamaal Williams was in Halas Hall working out for the Bears. Known as a power back and goal-line specialist, Williams would be the perfect complementary piece for Swift, as these two played together in Detroit when Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator. Knowing how much Johnson loves to have two running backs, and the connection he has with Johnson, could be all Chicago needs to get a deal done, as he is the best remaining free agent back on the market. When you look at Williams' career as a whole, he started with the Green Bay Packers before venturing to Detroit and then, most recently, to the New Orleans Saints, where he wasn't productive at all. Injuries played a role in his lack of production, but even when he was healthy, the fit wasn't there as his time with the Saints was a struggle. Before that, Williams was one of the better backup backs in the game and was someone who proved time and again that he could handle a starter's workload if called upon. Take the 2022 season with the Lions, where Williams not only took over the starting running back role that season, but went on to have the best season of his career, posting the franchise touchdown mark that same season. During that season, Williams picked up a career-high 1066 yards on 262 carries, as that was the only time in his career where you could say he was the lead back. To go with that came a franchise record 17 rushing touchdowns as he surpassed the great Barry Sanders to achieve that mark. A lot of those touchdowns came on short-yardage situations, but that is the type of back Williams is, and that alone would be a massive addition to the Bears' running back room, as they don't have that dominant between-the-tackles power back to use on short-yardage plays. Unlike a lot of the remaining free-agent backs who would like an opportunity to start, Williams is at the point in his career where he will start if there is an opening, but will also settle for a backup role if that is the easiest way to latch on to a team. Given his experience as both a backup and playing for Johnson, you have to believe that the Bears are the one team he would sign for at this point, should they make him an offer. From all accounts, the workout went exceptionally well, and had the Bears not had a preseason game this weekend, he very easily could've been signed that day. At this point, it all comes down to the money, and although he won't cost a lot, the Bears still need to make sure they get some value from him should they add him to the roster. If the sides do reach an agreement, you have to wonder if the Swift/Williams pairing can produce at the same level they did in Detroit, minus Swift being the featured back this time as opposed to Williams. The last time these two were paired together in Detroit, Swift collected 99 carries, 542 rushing yards, eight total touchdowns, and a career-best 5.5 yards per carry average. While it seems highly unlikely that Swift will ever average that again, should Johnson be able to get something similar from Williams in terms of the production, this would be seen as a massive win for Chicago. This is all the reminders the fan base needs that Ryan Poles is continuing to add to this roster, as he will leave no stone unturned this offseason.
