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The New England Patriots have been making a number of small moves, and that continued on Friday, June 17 when the team signed former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Darryl Williams to a one-year deal.
The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Williams was an undrafted free agent picked up by the Chiefs in 2020 after a solid career at Mississippi State where he was among the team captains. The Chiefs released Williams earlier in the week.
With the Patriots’ offensive line situation likely solidified, Williams is likely hoping to secure a practice squad spot where he might be of some assistance later in the year if New England is hurt by injuries–especially at center with David Andrews.
Earlier in the week, the Patriots made a few other moves to add depth and to solidify contract situations.
Other Patriots Signings: Jakobi Meyers and Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New England has yet to make a splashy move to add to their wide receiving corp, but they are still actively trying to improve the pass options for second-year quarterback Mac Jones. A day after inking Jakobi Meyers to an extension (via tender), the Patriots also signed former New Orleans Saints wideout Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
The move gave the Patriots 10 wide receivers on the roster–not counting Matthew Slater. Among the group, DeVante Parker is expected to emerge as the No. 1 option for Jones, but hopes are high for rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. There’s also a hope that Nelson Agholor can impress during training camp and preseason.
He was among the biggest disappointments on the roster in 2021. The Patriots signed him to a two-year, $22 million deal, but he failed to rank in the Top 3 in any receiving category for New England last year.
Because of Agholor’s failure to make an impact, the Patriots have continued digging for playmakers at the position. Last year’s seventh-round pick Tre Nixon had a good showing during voluntary workouts. His speed and toughness make him an intriguing option. Nixon also seemed to be on the same page as Jones, which could suggest the two young players have some chemistry.
That could go a long way toward helping Nixon to secure a spot. In any case, wide receiver figures to be a very competitive group in preseason and training camp. Perhaps the running back room will have a similar vibe.
In Other Patriots News: Will the Pats Trade Damien Harris?
In Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson, the Patriots have tow starting-caliber running backs. When you throw in veteran James White–who is returning from a serious hip injury–rookies Kevin Harris, Pierre Strong Jr. (who just signed a four-year deal), hybrid player Ty Montgomery and the diminutive J.J. Taylor, there are a ton of options.
The chances all of those guys make the 53-man roster is zero. It’s also unlikely the team would keep seven running backs throughout the organization. Five or six are the safest bets in this regard, which would leave a couple guys out.
Harris is one of the two best at the position, but him and Stevenson are the players with the most trade value–only the latter is younger. With Stevenson likely ready for a bigger role and players like Strong or Harris perhaps ready for a rotational opportunity, it’s not crazy to imagine New England dealing Harris, much like they did Sony Michel just ahead of the 2021 season.
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