Jamaal Williams: Everything you need to know

Williams worked out with the Bears on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Williams is still searching for a team after he was released by the Saints in early March. He spent the last two seasons in New Orleans and had a reduced role behind Alvin Kamara in 2024, finishing with 48 carries for 164 yards and one touchdown while adding nine catches (on 11 targets) for 57 yards across 14 regular-season games. Roschon Johnson is working through a foot injury, so Williams would be in line to compete against Kyle Monangai and Travis Homer for a backup role behind D'Andre Swift if he catches on with the Bears.

The Saints are releasing Williams on Tuesday, John Hendrix of AthlonSports.com reports. Williams, who is now heading into his age-30 season as a free agent, rushed just 48 times for 164 yards (3.4 YPC) and one touchdown across 14 regular-season appearances with the Saints in 2024. He also caught nine of 11 targets for 57 yards, while racking up a career-high 288 yards as a kick returner. With 2024 having marked the least productive season of Williams' career by a notable margin, teams around the league don't figure to view the veteran running back as a hot option on the open market.

Williams notched eight rushes for 15 yards and caught his only target for seven yards during Sunday's 27-19 defeat to the Buccaneers. Williams logged at least eight carries for the first time since Week 2. The Saints had been eliminated from playoff contention multiple weeks ago and were without multiple key offensive starters Sunday, including running back Alvin Kamara (groin) as well as RB2 Kendre Miller (concussion). This left Williams to split carries with Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was elevated from the practice squad for Week 18, and these two combined for a paltry 41 rushing yards on 16 carries. This caps off what was easily the least productive season of Williams' career, as he finished with fewer than 100 carries and 300 rushing yards for the first time in eight seasons. The 29-year-old signed a three-year, $12 million contract with New Orleans in March of 2023, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the team move on him from ahead of the 2025 regular season.