Getty Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ty'Son Williams runs with the Ball during a September 2021 game.
The Baltimore Ravens have withdrawn their exclusive rights contract tender for running back Ty’Son Williams, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, making the BYU product a free agent less than a year removed from a promising preseason.
Williams’ release, which comes on the same day the Ravens signed veteran running back Mike Davis, marks the end of his once-promising but ultimately disappointing tenure in Baltimore.
His preseason performance had Williams gaining hype in Baltimore even before J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill all went down with season-ending injuries. But with the Ravens’ backfield decimated, Williams was expected to emerge as a lead back in Baltimore.
Per today’s transaction sheet, the Ravens withdrew their exclusive-rights tender for running back Ty’Son Williams. It was evident he fell out of favor as the 2021 season progressed, and the Mike Davis signing now pushes him out the door.
Despite a few solid performances to start the regular season, Williams seemed to lose the faith of the coaching staff, something that John Harbaugh appeared to confirm later in the season. After playing half of the Ravens’ offensive snaps and recording 32 touches over the first three games, Williams’ role virtually disappeared, with several games without a single snap.
It’s not surprising to seem the Ravens move on from Williams after signing Davis and drafting Tyler Badie out of Missouri in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Baltimore will have a chance to try out a few new players in their backfield while Williams can search for a fresh start elsewhere in the NFL.
Potential Destinations for Williams
Even though he failed to catch on in Baltimore, Williams still showed plenty of promise early in 2021 and finished the season with a strong 5.3 yards per carry, including 3.2 yards after contact per attempt, according to Pro Football Focus.
Any of the NFL’s several running-back needy teams could offer Williams a tryout or even a contract for the 2022 season.
Williams could follow Hollywood Brown to the Arizona Cardinals, who have no clear backup behind James Conner. The Cardinals did spent a sixth-round pick on Keaontay Graham, but have committed little other money or draft capital to their backfield. If Arizona is willing to take a chance on one player who wasn’t a culture fit in Baltimore, they might be willing to roll the dice on another.
The Jacksonville Jaguars could be another option. Former Clemson standout Travis Etienne will be coming off a torn ACL for his first taste of regular season NFL action, while 2020 undrafted 1,000-yard rusher James Robinson is still recovering from a ruptured Achilles. Like the Cardinals, the Jaguars haven’t otherwise invested in their running back room, so Williams could compete for a role in their backfield.
Ravens Still Have Plenty of RB Insurance
With the additions of Badie and Davis this offseason, the Ravens have made sure they have plenty of backfield depth as Dobbins, Edwards and Hill work their way back from their injuries.
Davis is a proven veteran who fits well in Baltimore’s gap rushing scheme and averaged 3.2 receptions per game over the last two season. He can eat up carries in the preseason and in the early parts of regular season games as needed, though the Ravens will still want Dobbins or Edwards on the field for key downs.
Badie, though, could be another late-round steal for the Ravens after his breakout 2021 with 5.9 yards per carry and 14 total touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus.
Tyler Badie’s 1,604 rushing yards in 2021 was the most by an SEC RB since 2018 🐯
Badie was primarily a receiving specialist at Missouri for his first three seasons before emerging as a three-down bell-cow in 2021.
The Baltimore Ravens select Missouri RB Tyler Badie at No. 196 overall.
ELEVEN receiving touchdowns since 2019 (tied for 1st among FBS RBs) 🙌
His ability to contribute to the passing game could help him earn snaps early in his career, but he’s proven he can produce when asked to take on a heavier workload.