Getty RB Damien Williams
Matt Nagy and the Chicago Bears have added an intriguing piece to the offense. The Bears are set to sign former Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams to a one-year contract, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Williams, of course, is best known for his Super Bowl LIV performance, where his two fourth-quarter touchdowns helped propel the Chiefs to victory the season before last. He finished the game with 17 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, while also catching four passes for 29 yards and another score. His two fourth-quarter touchdowns iced the game for Patrick Mahomes and company, and many felt he very easily could have been named the MVP.
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Williams Hasn’t Played Since Memorable Super Bowl Appearance
Williams opted to sit out the entire 2020 season due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, and he had a very personal reason for doing so: to care for and be near his mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
“I’m dealing with a family matter, my mom was just diagnosed with cancer and it’s Stage 4, so that was my decision,” Williams told on SiriusXM NFL Radio last year, via USA Today. “With everything that’s going on, she was the only one there for me. My mom is my rock, my everything, so during a hard time like this, I think I should be next to her every step.”
Fortunately, his mother has been doing well in recent months, and after the Chiefs released him at the end of last season, he’s ready to get back on the field.
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A Look at Williams’ Numbers Over the Years
The 28-year-old running back entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and he spent his first four years in Miami with the Dolphins. He played in 58 games for Miami, starting four. He had 133 carries for 477 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 3.6 yards per carry with the Fins, where he worked with current Bears OC Bill Lazor, who served in the same role with the Dolphins at the time.
He found his footing in 2018-19 when he played in a Matt Nagy-esque offense in Kansas City. He played in 27 games in his two seasons with the Chiefs, starting nine. He rushed for 754 yards on 161 carries (that’s 4.7 yards per carry) with nine touchdowns to go with four receiving scores.
Per USA Today, Williams scored six times in the 2019 playoffs, which remains “a record for an undrafted player in the Super Bowl era,” while his 10 postseason scores are also a franchise record for Kansas City.
Will Williams Replace Cordarrelle Patterson on Offense & Special Teams?
Williams should fill Cordarrelle Patterson’s role in the offense, as he’s a multi-faceted back. The primary question is whether he will also return kickoffs– something he’s experienced in but hasn’t done since 2017.
It will be interesting to see how Nagy incorporates Williams, who has speed and has been a consistent threat in the passing game, alongside the likes of David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen — who is also quite speedy.
Williams should be more than capable of filling Patterson’s role on offense, but on special teams? That’s another story. A two-time All-Pro in his two seasons with the Bears, Patterson remains one of the top returners in the league — if not the best. He’s also one of the most underrated gunners in the league, so it will be pivotal for Chicago to fill the multiple voids Patterson’s absence leaves.
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