Getty Baltimore Ravens running back Ty'Son Williams carries the ball against the Carolina Panthers.
Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ty’Son Williams may quickly find a new NFL home after his contract tender was withdrawn by the Ravens on May 11, with multiple teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers among his potential suitors.
Greg Auman of The Athletic reported on May 13 that the “Bucs are one of a number of teams that have reached out” to the new free agent, who impressed in the 2021 preseason but lost the trust of Baltimore’s coaching staff as the season went on.
Auman noted that Williams “averaged 5.3 yards per carry in limited work last season,” most of which came in the Ravens’ first three games. Beyond Week 3, Williams only recorded eight carries and went several games without playing a single snap on offense. After signing veteran Mike Davis last week, the Ravens had enough running back depth to let Williams pursue a fresh start elsewhere.
It is somewhat surprising that the Buccaneers have interest in adding Williams to their already-crowded backfield. They just re-signed Leonard Fournette to a three-year, $21 million deal and drafted Rachaad White in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft with 2020 third-rounder Ke’Shawn Vaughn and veteran pass-catcher Giovani Bernard.
But even if Williams wasn’t a fit in Baltimore, he still has plenty of promise as an NFL running back. In addition to leading the Ravens’ running backs in yards per attempt in 2021, he also led the group in yards after contact per attempt, according to Pro Football Focus. The BYU product has also flashed some ability as a third-down back both in pass protection and as a receiver, but he’ll need to develop more consistency if he wants to compete for a roster spot in Tampa Bay’s pass-heavy offense.
Ravens Could Pursue Bucs WRs If Cut
After re-signing Chris Godwin and adding Russell Gage this offseason, the Buccaneers suddenly have an abundance of wide receivers on their roster. 2020 fifth-rounder Tyler Johnson is unlikely to get cut after putting up 360 yards last season, and it’s too early for Tampa Bay to give up on 2021 fourth-rounder Jaelon Darden.
But Scotty Miller is entering the last season of his rookie contract and only recorded five catches for 38 yards in 2021 after a 33-reception, 501-yard year in 2020. He could be deemed surplus to requirements and released with a minimal cap impact for the Buccaneers.
With the Ravens’ current need at wide receiver, they might be willing to take a chance on Miller. His 5-foot-11, 174-pound frame would normally restrict him to the slot, but he lined up out wide for a majority of his snaps in Tampa Bay. While the Ravens have signed several big body undrafted rookie receivers, Miller’s sure hands – just two career drops, per PFF – could be a worthwhile addition to Lamar Jackson’s group of targets.
A more polarizing move would be to sign former Ravens first-round pick Breshad Perriman if he were to be cut by the Buccaneers. He’s widely considered a bust in Baltimore, but averaged 44.2 yards per game across 2019 and 2020. That’s more than any currently-rostered Ravens receiver, so a reunion may not be out of the question.
Ravens Open Cap Space
There’s no doubt that the Ravens are planning to make at least one more signing before the start of the season, whether that be a wide receiver or recently-tagged outside linebacker Justin Houston.
To do so, they reworked the contract of tight end Nick Boyle to create just over $2.5 million of cap space in 2022.
Boyle suffered a brutal knee injury in 2020 that hampered him throughout the following season, so this year could be his last in Baltimore with an $8 million 2023 salary cap hit that ranks 15th among all NFL tight ends, per OverTheCap.
But Boyle will have a chance to prove his worth in 2022, especially with the Ravens poised to move back to the run-first offense that first highlighted Boyle’s talents in 2018 and 2019.