ESPN1 minute read
Running back Jamaal Williams, who just completed a career year with the Detroit Lions, has agreed to join the New Orleans Saints on a three-year, $12 million deal, a source tells Adam ESPN Schetter.
The deal includes $8 million fully guaranteed.
Williams has fitted right into the Lions system after joining the team as an unrestricted free agent in 2021. He posted career-best numbers in 2022, leading the league with 17 rushing touchdowns – which surpassed the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Barry Sanders in 1991 – while rushing for a career-high 1,066 yards.
In doing so, Williams, who turns 28 in April, became the first Lions player to exceed 1,000 rushing yards in a season since Reggie Bush did so in 2013.
Williams’ 10 goal-line touchdowns last season were also the best in the NFL.
His infectious personality has made him a leader among his Lions teammates and coaching staff. Around Christmas, he gifted players and staff with custom dresses and often went viral for his entertaining encounters with members of the media as well as his pep talks on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
Williams spent his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers after being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft. In six NFL seasons, he rushed for 3,652 yards, caught 160 passes for 1,191 yards and scored 38 total touchdowns.
ESPN’s Eric Woodyard contributed to this report.