NFL Rumors: Lions FA Jamaal Williams, Saints Agree to 3-Year, $12M Contract

Coming off the best season of his career, Jamaal Williams has reportedly cashed in with a new contract with the New Orleans Saints.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Williams has agreed to a three-year deal with the Saints. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the deal is worth $12 million and includes $8 million in guaranteed money.

Williams took to social media on Wednesday to thank Lions fans:

Williams spent the past two seasons as the primary running back for the Detroit Lions. He was a scoring machine in 2022, with a Lions franchise record of 17 rushing touchdowns.

There's certainly going to be some touchdown regression for Williams next season. He scored 10 times from one yard out and 15 times from within four yards.

Even factoring that in, Williams offers some upside as a receiving back that he didn't show a lot of in 2022. He averaged 29.6 receptions per season from 2017 to 2021.

Williams began his career as part of a two-man rushing attack with the Green Bay Packers, alongside Aaron Jones. They split reps for his first two seasons before Jones surpassed him as the No. 1 option.

The Lions signed Williams to a two-year contract as a free agent in March 2021. He had an unspectacular debut season in Detroit with 758 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns on 179 touches.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson unlocked new levels on the Lions' offense last season in part by making Williams a feature back. They ranked fifth in points scored and Football Outsiders' DVOA.

Williams' ability to score in short-yardage situations is a skill that will be extremely valuable to the Saints. He can help raise the floor for their offense next season.