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The Atlanta Falcons knew they likely needed to find a running back this offseason. Cordarrelle Patterson is a free agent and may not re-sign with the team, while Mike Davis disappointed after arriving from NFC South rivals the Carolina Panthers last offseason.
To shore up the running game, Falcons have signed to a one-year deal a running back with a Super Bowl win on his CV. Atlanta agreed to terms with Damien Williams on March 17, according to NFL’s Network’s Ian Rapoport, who named Williams’ agent, Ian Greengross, as the source of the information.
Williams, who will turn 30 on April 3, helped the Kansas City Chiefs win the 2020 Super Bowl before joining the Chicago Bears for the 2021 season. He becomes the Falcons’ third free-agent addition with ties to Senior Personnel Executive Ryan Pace, after the team also added a former Bears offensive lineman and defensive back on March 17.
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Williams Brings Versatility, Championship Pedigree
Williams scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to help the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl two years ago. He was rarely a featured weapon, but Williams was a safe pair of hands with the versatility to take on multiple roles in the offense of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
His record-setting efforts in that game showed how creative the Chiefs could get with Williams:
Bears head coach Matt Nagy clearly took notice. Nagy served on Reid’s staff in Kansas City for five years before taking the Bears job in 2018. He signed Williams three years later after the running back opted out of the 2020 campaign because of the pandemic.
Williams carried the ball only 40 times during his lone season in Chicago, but he averaged 4.1 yards per rush. He also added 16 receptions for 103 yards and a score.
The Falcons will welcome Williams’ dual-threat skills, especially if Patterson doesn’t return. The latter redefined himself last season and become Atlanta’s featured running back.
Patterson converted from wide receiver and kick returner into a true workhorse. He ran the ball 153 times for 610 yards and scored six rushing touchdowns, all team-leading marks.
With no new deal on the table for Patterson, the Falcons needed veteran help in the running back room. Now they’ve got it in Williams.
Falcons Stockpiling Former Bears
Williams is the third ex-Bears player to sign with the Falcons this offseason. He accompanies offensive tackle Elijah Wilkinson and cornerback Teez Tabor. Wilkinson confirmed his signing via Instagram, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein:
Tabor’s signing was confirmed by his agency, Quality Control Sports, according to Rothstein:
Wilkinson, 27, and Tabor, 26, were likely signed to provide depth on the Falcons’ roster. Neither played much in 2021. Wilkinson started only one game and was on the field for 16% of the Bears’ offensive snaps over 13 games after having a significantly bigger role (an average of 79% of the snaps) with the Denver Broncos from 2018 to 2020. And Tabor appeared in six games last season.
Both Tabor and Wilkinson joined the Bears on Pace’s watch. Pace was fired in January after seven years of running the football operations in Chicago. He moved to the Falcons in February to assist the scouting staff under general manager Terry Fontenot.
It appears Pace is already having an impact on the type of players the Falcons will sign this offseason.
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