Ex-NFL rushing touchdowns leader gets released

Just over two years after leading the league in rushing touchdowns, a veteran NFL running back finds himself in free agency.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Tuesday that the New Orleans Saints have decided to release running back Jamaal Williams. The move ends Williams’ tenure in New Orleans after two seasons.

Williams, a former fourth-round draft pick in 2017, placed himself firmly among the NFL’s top rushers with his 2022 season for the Detroit Lions. That year, Williams ran for 1,066 yards and a league-high 17 touchdowns. Williams then left Detroit after the season to sign a three-year deal with the Saints.

But Williams was never able to take off in New Orleans, in part due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2 of the 2023 season that required a stay on injured reserve. By the time that Williams returned, Alvin Kamara was back from a suspension, and Williams was never able to legitimately challenge Kamara for lead back duties again. The Saints also started giving carries to 22-year-old running back Kendre Miller (on top of mainstay gadget player Taysom Hill), and Williams finished the 2024 campaign with just 164 rushing yards and one touchdown.

By releasing Williams, who was set to make $3.2 million next season, the Saints will save roughly $1.6 million in cap space. That brings them closer to getting under the salary cap by the March 13 deadline to do so.

As for Williams himself, the change in scenery is probably necessary. He was never quite able to resonate with the fans in New Orleans and can now look forward to finding a new NFL home.