Tag: Jamaal Williams

Jamaal Williams picked as a trade candidate before NFL roster cuts deadline

Jamaal Williams was picked as a trade candidate before next week’s NFL roster cuts deadline. But his strong game against the 49ers may keep him off the trade block:

We’re rapidly approaching the NFL roster cuts deadline on Aug. 27, and some trades are expected around the league as teams work to get the jump on the waiver wire. The New Orleans Saints are typically buyers at these deadlines, but could they be sellers instead?

If so, Jamaal Williams might be a trade candidate to watch. For The Win’s Cory Woodruff made the case for other teams to check in on the veteran running back ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline:

The New Orleans Saints are very unlikely to trade running back Alvin Kamara with so much riding on this season with coach Dennis Allen and quarterback Derek Carr. However, it’s very possible the team could consider freeing up a little cap space (almost $4 million) and adding a draft pick for Williams, who didn’t fit in with New Orleans last season quite like he did with the Detroit Lions in 2022 (1,066 yards, 17 touchdowns). Only 29, Williams could help a contending team in the red zone while the Saints could give 2023 third-round pick Kendre Miller a bigger role in the offense.

Possible team fits Woodroof mentioned included the Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, and Minnesota Vikings.

But Williams may have taken himself off the trade block with a strong game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. He totaled 32 rushing yards on five carries, and even if you take out his longest run (a 15-yard gain) he still averaged more than four yards per attempt.

And when you look more closely at the running backs depth chart, it may not make sense to move Williams. Kendre Miller suffered a hamstring injury on the first day of training camp that prevented him from ever returning to the  practice field before the Saints returned to New Orleans from Irvine. Alvin Kamara was sidelined for a few days last week after experiencing some back tightness, which he’s reported before. Jordan Mims and James Robinson have had some nice moments this summer but as a whole the running backs haven’t shown a ton of playmaking ability.

Is moving Williams worth a late-round draft pick and $3.85 million in cap space? That might be a question the Saints need to ask themselves, but unless Miller returns to health quickly it’s tough to see Williams being moved. But never say never. His hard running on Sunday night may have caught some wandering eyes.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Jamaal Williams is the Saints Player of Day 21

Countdown to Kickoff: Jamaal Williams is the Saints Player of Day 21. The veteran running back has much to prove in 2024:

We’re exactly three weeks away from the start of the New Orleans Saints’ regular season — 21 days stand between us and kickoff with the Carolina Panthers. And that makes Jamaal Williams, who wears the No. 21 jersey, our Saints Player of the Day.

The veteran running back has move to prove in 2024. Here’s his story:

  • Name (Age): Jamaal Williams (29)
  • Position: Running back
  • Height, weight: 6-foot, 224 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 4.55
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $4,630,000
  • College: BYU
  • Drafted: Round 4 in 2017 (Green Bay Packers)
  • NFL experience: 8 seasons

Williams played high school football in Fontana, outside Los Angeles, and went to college at BYU where he was teammates with Taysom Hill. The Packers drafted him at No. 134 overall in 2017 but he didn’t truly break out until joining the Detroit Lions. After setting career-highs in rushing yards (1,066) and touchdown runs (17) with Detroit in 2022, Williams signed a free agent contract with the Saints in 2023 with a lot of momentum behind him.

It’s tough to describe his 2023 season as anything but a disappointment. Williams saw career-lows in rushing yards (306) and touchdown runs (1) and averaged the worst yards per carry (2.9) he’s seen in the NFL. The hope is for him to rebound in Klint Kubiak’s more-creative running game, but Williams needs to rediscover the extra gear he put to good use in Detroit. This was the first season in which he didn’t have a single run of more than 20 yards.

What else is in store for Williams? The Saints have had him practice in the return game often at training camp, but don’t expect him to field many kicks himself. The new NFL kickoff rules designed by Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi call for two returners to hang back deep, and it’s likely they envision Williams as a lead-blocker for Rashid Shaheed. We’ll see if that’s truly the plan once the season begins. Williams needs to do whatever he can to help the team, or else a younger, less-expensive and more-dynamic teammate could take his place.

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Falcons signing Justin Simmons is a big swing-and-a-miss for the Saints

The Saints spent months recruiting Justin Simmons only for him to sign with their archrivals. Mickey Loomis has made another mistake in free agency:

There’s no other way to spin this than “disappointing.” The New Orleans Saints spent months recruiting Justin Simmons only for him to sign with their archrivals, the Atlanta Falcons.

Mickey Loomis, the longest-tenured general manager in the league, has made another mistake in free agency. Loomis is known for stubbornly sticking to his offers in free agency — letting good players like Marcus Williams and Carl Nicks walk away over the years. And his irresponsible spending at other positions has caught up to him.

Part of it is Derek Carr’s contract. The Saints overpaid him compared to what other washouts-turned-starting quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield signed for in recent years. Another part is positional spending. Jamaal Williams looked like he was running in quicksand last season but he’s coming back with almost $4 million in guarantees anchoring him to New Orleans.

The Saints had the salary cap space to sign Simmons; Atlanta got him for a one-year, $8 million deal with $7.5 million guaranteed. Depending on where you look New Orleans is under the cap by at least $10 million, and they had a couple of levers to pull and open up more space if they really wanted to. But Loomis and his leadership group in the front office didn’t want to do that.

We should acknowledge that lines up with how the Saints have spoken about this situation. They viewed signing Simmons as an opportunity to upgrade, not necessarily a must-have asset. They’ve won games before with Jordan Howden and Johnathan Abram starting next to Tyrann Mathieu. It’s just discouraging when Dennis Allen is bemoaning how neither of those two guys are impressing him after training camp practice every day.

It’s still disappointing. The Saints had so many things working in their favor. They were Simmons’ first stop and first choice on his free agent tour. They had been in the longest contact with him. Two of his former position coaches are on staff, as are former teammates dating back to his college days. Ultimately none of that mattered because they refused to pay up.

If Loomis hadn’t spent so recklessly elsewhere maybe he could’ve bit the bullet and given Simmons what he wanted. Instead, he had less wriggle-room than he’d like, and his instincts told him to stand pat. Now the two-time Pro Bowl will be playing against the Saints twice this year. It’s a good thing he only intercepted Derek Carr once in their last dozen meetings.

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Jordan Mims can put more pressure on Kendre Miller vs. Cardinals

Kendre Miller’s absence presents Jordan Mims with a golden opportunity in the Saints’ preseason opener. He needs a big game against the Cardinals:

Jordan Mims has started strong in New Orleans Saints training camp. If he can continue his momentum, Mims can make a stronger claim for third on the depth chart.

Normally, Mim and Kendre Miller would share reps against the Arizona Cardinals. That won’t be the case in the debut. Miller is out with an injury which opens up a huge opportunity. He hurt his hamstring on the first day of training camp and hasn’t returned to practice in two and a half weeks.

Alvin Kamara is at the top of the depth chart, and he’ll handle most of the snaps with the starters. Jamaal Williams will likely take snaps with the second team, and this is where Mims will mix in. Miller’s absence takes him out of the rotation. There have been no signs Miller will return soon. Even if it’s just for a game, however, these are valuable reps.

Expect Mims to be supplanted by James Robinson and Jacob Kibodi at the end of the game. This is after he has the opportunity to put distance between him and Miller, though.

Dennis Allen has expressed his frustration with Miller’s inability to stay healthy over the beginning of his career. It caused him to publicly question Miller’s security on the final roster. Combine that with a strong camp by Mims. This is Mims’ opportunity to showcase he availability and capabilities make him the best candidate behind Kamara and Williams.

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Kendre Miller’s challenges in Year 2 go beyond new injury

Kendre Miller left the Saints’ first training camp practice with an injury, but his standing in the running backs room was concerning before he went down:

Kendre Miller injured his hamstring on the first day of New Orleans Saints training camp, and he can’t afford to miss much time do to injury. The more time he does, the more difficult it’ll be to catch Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, and even Jordan Mims, who spent last season on the Saints practice squad after playing with Jake Haener at Fresno State in college.

Miller is supposed to be competing with Williams, but if pre-practice team walkthroughs are any indication, Mims is Miller’s true competition. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill observed that Mims was working ahead of Miller with the second-string offense. We shouldn’t look too deeply into this given how early it is in camp, but it also shouldn’t be ignored. The Saints had players divided on separate fields. Mims was on the side with Kamara, Williams and the other starters. Miller wasn’t.

He likely would have mixed in with the second-team had Miller made it through practice. Second-year safety Jordan Howden did, and he was on the same field as Miller during walkthroughs.

Still, it’s insightful on where Miller stands in the pecking order, and that’s fourth in line. This positions him to fight for third opposed to second on the depth chart.

His injury was the main talking point due to his struggles staying on the field last year. Dennis Allen emphatically stated “That’s a player that’s going to have to figure out how to stay healthy, because it’s hard to make the team when you’re in the training room all the time.”

It becomes even harder when you are fighting for third on the depth chart. The most eye-catching story is his health, but his position in the pecking order prior to injury is equally as important.

The Saints only kept three running backs on last year’s initial 53-man roster. You do the math. Dwayne Washington was the fourth rusher in 2022 and 2021 because he was a special teams ace. Would Miller provide enough value to stick around as a fourth running back if it comes to that? He has some security as a third-round draft pick, but his position is far from safe. Let’s hope he overcomes this adversity and plays well in the fall.

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Kendre Miller injured during Saints’ first training practice

Kendre Miller suffered a hamstring injury at Wednesday’s first training camp practice. The New Orleans Saints running back continues to face setbacks:

The New Orleans Saints always deal with injuries pretty early into the process, and this offseason seems to be no different with injuries to Chase Young and Juwan Johnson during the offseason process or earlier. This trend seems to have continued as well, with second-year running back Kendre Miller suffering a hamstring injury during Wednesday’s training camp practice. According to Katherine Terrell of ESPN, he went into the training tent and did not return once that occurred.

Miller dealt with leg issues all of last season as a rookie. He missed time with a patella sprain, grade one hamstring sprain, and pedal ankle sprain at different points throughout the season. This led to him only playing in eight games during his rookie year, with only 41 rush attempts and 11 times targeted. He was still recovering from a knee injury when the Saints drafted him out of TCU.

Dennis Allen’s take on Miller’s hamstring injury was pointed after practice: “Look, that’s a player that’s going to have to figure out how to stay healthy. Because it’s hard to make the team when you’re in the training room all the time.”

It has been a tough road for Miller to this point in his career, no doubt, and hopefully things turn around and this is not a lingering injury for the short term future. As of right now, the Saints depth chart at running back seems relatively short with this news:

  • Alvin Kamara
  • Kendre Miller (hamstring injury)
  • Jamaal Williams
  • Jordan Mims
  • James Robinson
  • Jacob Kibodi

There are a few options available in free agency as training camp bodies as well if that ends up being a need. Lynn Bowden Jr. and Eno Benjamin are both available and were on the roster last summer, as is Kareem Hunt who was a reported target for the Saints last year. We will see how this plays out, hopefully it is just a minor injury and Miller gets back out there quickly without issue. He can’t afford to miss much time.

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Training camp battle spotlight: Kendre Miller vs. Jamaal Williams

The real importance of the Kendre Miller-Jamaal Williams training camp battle lies in its impact on Alvin Kamara:

The battle between Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams gains more importance as Alvin Kamara’s contract situation remains unresolved. The start of training camp on July 24 is the next checkpoint in the situation. Either he and the New Orleans Saints agree on an extension or Kamara shows up to camp on the same deal.

Once camp begins we can look at how Kamara maneuvers the situation. He could sit out or come to practice. It’s been reported that Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love will show up but not practice until he gets a new deal. That is also an option for Kamara.

It’s unlikely Kamara sits out the season or even games due to this. If he does miss practice time, however, that may put more pressure on the Miller-Williams battle. Kamara’s absence would naturally lead to more reps for both Miller and Williams with the first-team offense. Being able to evenly split these reps should make the RB2 decision easier.

During the season, the winner of the battle will share time with Kamara. When you look at his best years, Kamara wasn’t the sole running back he’s been recently. Sean Payton actually used to have Kamara on a pitch count. Now that he’s older, with more wear and tear on his body, it would behoove the Saints to return to this.

Jamaal Williams could be the tough yardage back. That carved out role gives him an easy route to the field. Miller has some of the pop and receiving ability that makes Kamara special. A three-headed monster would be best, but Miller will have to fight for the right to have more time in the regular season due to some overlap in skillset.

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What can New Orleans Saints running backs offer fantasy gamers?

Evaluating the fantasy football prospects from the New Orleans backfield.

When the New Orleans Saints were at their best, they featured a one-two punch in their backfield of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. In recent years, the franchise has tried to recreate their dynamic, albeit without much success. Initially, they tried reuniting with Ingram, but his best days were behind him. Last year, they signed running back Jamaal Williams in free agency, and then selected Kendre Miller with the 71st overall pick.

As a blueprint, it was easy to follow. Reduce Kamara’s workload by adding a veteran that just led the NFL in rushing touchdowns while bringing along a talented young back with limited snaps to learn the ropes. It didn’t work out. Kamara received a three-game suspension for an off-field incident, Miller was dogged by injuries, and Williams struggled. The result was a rushing offense that ranked 21st in yards (102.5 YPG), 18th in TDs (13), and tied for 30th in YPC (3.6).

Rather than blow things up, the Saints will run it back with the same top three. Will they get better results in 2024? Let’s look at this backfield and what it can do for fantasy owners.

Kendre Miller called a deep fantasy sleeper by B/R

Kendre Miller’s training camp battle with Jamaal Williams can make or break his fantasy football stock in 2024. Bleacher Report calls him a deep fantasy sleeper:

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller was listed as one of the six fantasy football sleepers to watch during training camp by Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay.

As the NFL season approaches, fantasy football will become a larger focal point. The second-year running back won’t find himself in the first half of your drafts. He could end up as a late-round steal depending on what he does during training camp.

Miller has the attributes to be successful in Klint Kubiak’s offense. In addition to his performance on the ground in the season finale rout of the Atlanta Falcons, Miller showcased his ability as a receiver versus the New England Patriots early in the season, catching all four of his targets to gain 53 yards.

Opportunities have to arise for any of those abilities to turn into production. Miller has to beat out Jamaal Williams in their training camp battle to maximize how many opportunities Miller receives.

If he can do that, he’ll be second on the running back depth chart to Alvin Kamara. It’s unclear how much rotating the Saints will do at running back this year, but Miller will definitely see more touches than he did as a rookie by winning his battle.

That’s why it’s important for fantasy owners to study the Miller-versus-Williams battle in camp. It’ll make or break whether Miller is worth a late draft pick or should be an undrafted fantasy free agent.

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Jamaal Williams shares a statement of support for Alvin Kamara

As Alvin Kamara ramps up his search for a new contract, Jamaal Williams makes it clear he supports his running mate handling business:

New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams stands with his running mate Alvin Kamara amidst the latter’s efforts to pursue a better contract situation. Williams sat down with The Insiders on NFL Network Monday evening and shared his take on the situation.

“Me personally, just as me as a man, I respect everybody as the man they are and the decisions they make as a man,” Williams said. “Alvin is a tremendous, great teammate, awesome person, 100 percent. He stays 10 toes down on his business and what he believes in. That’s just him. I’m behind him 100 percent of what he does because he’s just looking for his well-being. That’s all we want for each other.

“It’s just part of the game that we do. These are the type of things, once you believe in something you believe in, I’m with you 100 percent. That’s just your decision.”

This is expected from Williams. Since signing with the Saints last offseason, he has been considered a strong presence in the locker room. Being a positive culture player, Williams’ statement of support is the move most players make, but is on brand specifically for him.

Williams also knows what it’s like to have a rough contract negotiation with a front office. His split from Detroit was partnered with an offer he considered disrespectful. That history likely makes it easy to sympathize with Kamara in this situation. Running backs in particular have a hard time with contracts in the NFL, so most at the position are likely rooting for Kamara.

As long as Kamara holds out, a larger responsibility falls on the shoulders of Williams. Klint Kubiak’s new system should lend to him having a greater offensive role than last season, when everyone is healthy and participating. Kamara’s absence pushes Williams to the front and naturally increases the potential benefits the second-year Saint can receive.

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