Report: Saints to Sign RB Darrel Williams

New Orleans adds backfield depth with the signing of one versatile piece and visits with another back, per reports.

Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football confirms that the New Orleans Saints are signing RB Darrel Williams. The Saints had brought in Williams for a visit earlier in the day and are also visiting with free-agent RB Kylin Hill, according to Underhill. 

New Orleans lost rookie RB Kendre Miller to a knee injury in Sunday's game against Kansas City. The injury is not thought to be serious, but will keep Miller out a couple of weeks. This came on the heels of a season-ending Achilles injury to Eno Benjamin. 

Alvin Kamara will be suspended for the first three games of the regular season. Miller, Jamaal Williams, and undrafted rookie Ellis Merriweather were the only other backs on the roster. The Saints visited with former Browns and Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt last week, but were unable to reach a contract agreement.

A graduate of John Ehret High School in Louisiana and former LSU standout, Williams is a name familiar to the Gulf Coast region. He appeared in just six contests for the Arizona Cardinals last season, rushing for 102 yards and catching four passes for nine yards.

Before landing in Arizona last year, Williams was a solid complementary piece for Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs attack, especially as a receiver. His best year was in 2021 with the Chiefs, when he rushed for 558 yards with six scores and added 47 receptions for 452 yards and two more touchdowns. 

Oct 2, 2022; Arizona Cardinals running back Darrel Williams (24) runs for yardage against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

In his first four years with the Chiefs, Williams had 912 yards on the ground, caught 83 passes for another 762 yards, and had 14 touchdowns. He was especially big in the Chiefs march to Super Bowl LV, rushing for 130 yards in their two AFC playoff wins.

Williams was a versatile back in a demanding Kansas City offense. He should be a valuable addition as a change-of-pace back, especially as a receiver early in the year with Kamara out.

Hill, who turns 25 on August 18, was a seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. He appeared in eight games for the Packers as a rookie before tearing his ACL, rushing for 24 yards.

The ACL injury kept Hill out of action for all but two games in 2022. At 5'10" and 214-Lbs., he's a rugged inside runner that had 1,350 rushing yards and 10 scores as a junior at Mississippi State in 2019.