The New England Patriots corrected course on Sunday with a huge victory over the Buffalo Bills, which they will now look to build on for the upcoming weeks.
While the performance helped remind fans what made the team so successful during their AFC winning run last year, there are clearly some areas that need improvement if they are going to again win the division and make a deep playoff push.
In looking to do so, the Patriots brought in several free agent players for workouts on Tuesday. Among the group was veteran running back and former 1,000-yard rusher Jamaal Williams.
Williams got his start in Green Bay, where he posted 450-plus yards for four straight seasons supplementing Aaron Jones. Signing with Detroit in 2021, he played a huge role in the Lions’ turnaround that saw them go from 3-13-1 to 9-8 behind Dan Campbell. As the lead back in 2022, he tallied 1,066 yards and led the NFL with 17 touchdowns.
In 2023, Williams departed for New Orleans where his volume and production started to dip. With 589 combined yards and just two touchdowns in his two seasons with the Saints, he was let go and spent 2025 out of football entirely.
Now the 31-year-old has his intentions set on a comeback, and the Patriots have emerged as a potential suitor. The fit makes sense, with New England leaning on just two backs to take the pressure off of Drake Maye. Rhamondre Stevenson has been solid and ranks 13th among the league’s running backs in success rate. However, change of pace option TreVeyon Henderson has struggled, ranking last out of all qualified backs in the same category.
The team would benefit from an additional option to take the load off of Stevenson and allow Josh McDaniels to be more creative in how to get Henderson involved. A strong pass blocker with a nose for the end zone, Williams also brings leadership upside with a big personality that seemed to resonate in the Detroit locker room.
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