The Lions made an interesting signing on Monday morning. Just before the team took to the practice field for the first time in training camp, the Lions signed RB Jonathan Williams and dumped fellow RB Wes Hills.
Williams adds talent to a crowded backfield that now includes returning starter Kerryon Johnson, second-round rookie D’Andre Swift, speedy second-year back Ty Johnson, rookie Jason Huntley and big Bo Scarbrough, who played well down the stretch in 2019.
What are the Lions getting in Williams?
The primary thing with Williams is his health. Since being a fifth-round pick from Arkansas by the Buffalo Bills in the 2016 NFL Draft, Williams has only been healthy enough to be active for 23 NFL games. And that doesn’t include the fact he missed his senior season at Arkansas with a broken foot, either.
The 5-11, 217-pound Williams played nine games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2019, carrying the ball 49 times for a career-high 235 yards. Almost all that action came in a two-week period. In Weeks 11 and 12 last year, Williams topped 100 yards rushing in both games while filling in for various other injured Colts backs.
In those two games, Williams flashed the combination of power and balance that made him highly-touted before the final injury at Arkansas. He’s a physical, downhill-style runner with active shoulders and hands. Williams can jump-cut and burst out of a cut well.
This run against the Texans is pretty emblematic of Williams’ style: not always great with the vision or acceleration, but he’s tough and never stops the feet from moving,
Jonathan Williams takes a hit and keeps moving all the way to the end zone! 💪 @Jwillpart2 #Colts
📺: #INDvsHOU on @NFLNetwork | @NFLonFOX | @PrimeVideo
How to watch: https://t.co/I6INVckndX pic.twitter.com/yLUbIObGff— NFL (@NFL) November 22, 2019
As an inside runner, he’s quicker and faster to bounce out than Scarbrough. Staying aggressive in pressing the initial hole has been an issue for Williams going back to his college days; he’s impatient and will make unnecessary bounce cuts to the outside behind the line. Ball security was a big issue for the Bills, who let him go after two fumbles in just 27 carries in his rookie campaign.
He does have some receiving ability and reliable hands out of the backfield. Williams did get special teams work in Buffalo and again last season with the Colts, an important facet for reserve RBs in Detroit.
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