Getty Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams.
Free agent running back Darrel Williams, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, worked out for the Houston Texans on Friday, September 15, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.
Williams, 28, entered the NFL undrafted out of LSU in 2018, signing with the Chiefs in May of that year and earning a spot on Kansas City’s practice squad. From there, Williams worked his way into a complementary role in the Chiefs backfield over the next three seasons.
Along with winning the Super Bowl with the Chiefs during the 2020 season, Williams registered 237 rushing attempts for 912 yards — 3.8 yards per attempt — and 14 total touchdowns (10 rushing, 4 receiving) during his four-year stint in Kansas City.
Williams’ time in Kansas City ended when he entered free agency in 2022. Though it took several months to find a new home, Williams signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals in June 2022. He then entered free agency again this offseason and went unsigned until the New Orleans Saints struck a deal with him during the preseason. But his time with the Saints came to a close on August 29 when they released him.
Coach Spags Talks Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence
In Week 2, the Chiefs will face the Jacksonville Jaguars who are quarterbacked by 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence. After Lawrence’s rookie season, Doug Pederson took over as the Jaguars head coach in 2022 and helped Lawrence live up to his potential.
During the 2022 season, Lawrence completed 66% of his passes for 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns, and also threw 8 interceptions. With a year in the system under his belt and newly added star receiver Calvin Ridley to throw to, Lawrence is projected to have an even better season in 2023.
Speaking to the media on September 14, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo discussed what he’s seen from Lawrence dating back to Lawrence’s time at Clemson.
“He gets better and better. Doug [Pederson] does a great job with him,” Spagnuolo said. “The thing that always stands out — and this stood out when we played – he’s huge. He’s big, he’s a big strong quarterback that can run. I showed a clip this morning [in which] he runs. He didn’t slide; he’s running over people. He’s in the pocket, people get around him, and he’s getting out. He’s just a big strong guy that can throw the football. I just see a really – I thought he was great when he was in college and knew he’d be a good player. He just looks like he gets more and more confident.”
Jaguars’ Calvin Ridley Could Be Game Wrecker vs. Chiefs
A player to watch when Kansas City’s defense takes the field on Sunday is Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley.
Ridley, 30, was traded to Jacksonville from the Atlanta Falcons during the 2022 season while he was serving his season-long suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.
There were questions as to whether Ridley would look like his former self — a former first-round pick with elite skills — when he took to the field this season, which would be the first time in a year and a half that he played on an NFL field.
Those questions were quickly answered during Jacksonville’s Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts when Ridley caught 8-of-11 targets for 101 yards and scored a touchdown.
Spagnuolo also discussed Ridley’s play in Week 1 and how Kansas City can’t get too caught up focusing on him given the rest of the talent throughout Jacksonville’s roster.
“Yeah, really good, obviously, in that game – and it feels like – I know if I’m that quarterback and you have a guy like that and you have a game like you did last week, I got to believe you’re going to keep looking to him,” Spagnuolo said. “Yet you commit too many people to that one person, and they got a lot – this is a skilled – might be as skilled of an offense as we’re going to play all year.”