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Green Bay Packers running back Jamaal Williams is changing his representation about a month before he is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency.
Williams officially signed with ISA Sports & Entertainment and his new agent, Bardia Ghahremani, on Monday after recently firing his previous agent, Chris Cabott. The 2017 fourth-round pick is heading into a pivotal free agency with his rookie contract set to expire in March and four consistent seasons on record to leverage for a new deal.
Williams is now the second Packers running back to part ways with Cabott’s services in the past few months. Aaron Jones, who is also set to become an unrestricted free agent, had shared Cabott as an agent with Williams and Patrick Mahomes until he fired him in December and found new representation in Drew Rosenhaus.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Jones received multiple proposals from the Packers, including a contract offer that would have made him one of the NFL’s top-paid backs in terms of average-per-year salary but came with a low amount of guaranteed money. He rejected all of them and, after growing frustrated, signed with Rosenhaus in hopes that “a different voice might help.”
Demovsky clarified, though, that Williams’ decision to hire a new agent “wasn’t because of a lack of interest from the Packers but rather because Williams wanted a non-NFLPA certified representative to join his official agent and take part of the standard 3% agent fee, but the original agent (Cabott) declined that arrangement, so they went their separate ways.”
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Williams has delivered a solid return on investment for a former Day 3 draft pick despite always working in tandem with another running back throughout his time in Green Bay. As a No. 2 backfield option, he has delivered at least 460 rushing yards and 210 receiving yards in each of his four seasons and a total of 18 touchdowns. He has also frequently been described as a tremendous “energy guy” and locker room presence by other team leaders, including three-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The trouble is none of that may make a difference to the Packers as they navigate a financially-constrained 2021 offseason. The league’s salary cap is expected to drop to roughly $180-181 million for next season when it is officially set in March, something that will force general manager Brian Gutekunst to clear about $25 million in cap costs — either through cuts, restructures or trades — before free agency even begins.
Whatever new roster needs arise out of those decisions, none of them figure to change the Packers’ current running back picture for 2021. They smartly drafted some insurance last spring in the form of 2020 second-rounder AJ Dillon, who showed potential for becoming Green Bay’s next lead back during the final stretch of his rookie season. If they trust him moving forward, finding a change-of-pace back to complement him will be the next step.
The Packers have three other running backs signed for the 2021 season: Patrick Taylor, a 2020 undrafted free agent who spent the entire year on the non-football injury list; Dexter Williams, a 2019 sixth-round pick who has rushed seven times for 19 yards over seven games; and Mike Weber, a 2019 seventh-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys who has spent 2020 on the Packers’ practice squad and saw two elevation opportunities (but no carries).
Is that enough for them to go on? Maybe not, but there is always the 2021 NFL draft — in which the Packers will have 10 picks (counting three compensatory). They hit the jackpot with Williams (fourth round) and Jones (fifth) back in 2017 without having to invest a Day 1 or 2 pick, so trying again would be perfectly reasonable.
The decision on Williams could come down to cost. If he is willing to take a team-friendly deal to remain in Green Bay, providing a seasoned presence for a young room, the Packers could be compelled to re-sign him. At the same time, Demovsky also reported the Packers have not yet made an offer to Williams — which makes one wonder whether they intend to do so at all.
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