Getty Ex- Colts RB Jonathan Williams #33 gives a stiff arm to Johnathan Joseph #24 of the Houston Texans.
The New York Giants have already made their big-splash addition to their backfield in hopes of somewhat offsetting the loss of Saquon Barkley with the signing of Devonta Freeman. However, that’s not to say Big Blue is done adding to their running back room and if they continue to fish around the free-agent market, North Jersey Media Group’s Art Stapleton knows just the player they should target.
After previously being called up to the team’s active roster in Week 1 to add depth behind the likes of D’Andre Swift, Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson, the Detroit Lions opted to release running back Jonathan Williams on Tuesday.
Now looking for employment, Stapleton took to Twitter to state that the “Giants should make a call and add Williams to the mix” in their backfield.
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Williams Flashed Last Season
Prior to a foot injury that wiped out his entire senior campaign at Arkansas, Williams was once looked at as a potential first-round pick in draft circles. He ultimately slipped to the fifth round of the 2016 draft, into the waiting hands of the Buffalo Bills. Perceived as the potential heir apparent to LeSean McCoy in the Bills backfield, Williams was surprisingly kicked to the curb just one year into his professional career.
Over the next two seasons, Williams bounced around the Denver Broncos’ and the New Orleans Saints’ practice squads. He was called up to the Saints’ active roster for a short stint in September of 2018, appearing in three games, but failing to gain a single rushing yard on three rushing attempts over that span.
It wasn’t until Williams made his way to Indianapolis a season ago where he finally flashed the bulldozing running ability that made him so highly touted back in his SEC days.
Marlon Mack suffered a hand injury that forced the Colts running back to leave last year’s Week 11 bout against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Williams answered the bell in Mack’s absence, toting the rock 13 times for 116 yards. His stellar play seeped into the following week, as he made his first career NFL start in place of the injured Mack. Under the bright lights of Thursday night, the Colts featured the Dallas, Texas native in their backfield against the Houston Texans, en route to a stellar 104-yard, one-touchdown performance on 26 carries.
However, Williams’ brilliant run was short-lived, he reverted back to a reserve role the following week, carrying the ball just eight times. Over the final four weeks of play, Williams would fail to log a single carry.
Over his 23-game career, Williams has carried the football 79 times for 329 yards (4.2 ypc) and two touchdowns. He’s also chipped in with seven career receptions for 60 yards, five receptions and 59 yards of which came over a three-game span last season.
Still just 26-years-old, Williams would be a solid depth addition alongside the Giants’ current slew of running backs which include the aforementioned Devonta Freeman, Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman.