Tracking former Lions

[Mainevent]

Storm Nelson. One of my favorite names. We've had a Sergeant, Storm, etc...

Couldn't be that much of a favorite, since his name is Storm Norton.

[Futureshock]

Nelson, Norton...

Butchering names is a family tradition Mark

[wcfwtf]

I don’t know why this thread exists
not a Lion I don’t care anything about them

[Futureshock]

At least he didn't go to Chicago...

Saints To Sign RB Jamaal Williams


March 15th, 2023 at 6:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Jamaal Williams is staying in the NFC. The free agent running back is signing with the Saints, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).


Williams is inking a three-year deal with the Saints, according to Schefter. The three-year pact is worth $12MM, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The deal includes $8MM in guaranteed money.

There was some initial hope that the veteran would end up returning to Detroit next season, but those hopes were seemingly eliminated when the Lions pivoted to David Montgomery. Most recently, Williams was connected to a number of potential suitors, including the Bills, Bengals, Panthers, and Bears, per Tyler Dunne on Twitter.

Instead, Williams will land in a bit of a surprising spot in New Orleans, although he appears to be a natural fit behind Alvin Kamara. Backup running backs Mark Ingram and David Johnson are both free agents, and Williams provides much more upside than that duo either as a change-of-pace RB or as a fill-in to the starter.

Williams made a name for himself in Green Bay, collecting at least 600 yards from scrimmage in each of his four seasons with the Packers thanks in part to his pass-catching ability. He joined the Lions prior to the 2021 campaign and had modest success during his first season with the organization, compiling 758 yards from scrimmage.

The RB was a touchdown machine in 2022. Williams ended up leading the NFL with a whopping 17 rushing touchdowns while adding a career-high 1,066 rushing yards on 262 carries. The Saints shouldn’t expect that kind of production in 2023, although the team will be much less reliant on the RB’s production than the Lions were in 2022.

[kayrone]

Storm Nelson. One of my favorite names. We've had a Sergeant, Storm, etc...

remember Stoney Case??! If memory serves, his brother's name was Stormy Case.

#hippies

[CGVT]

I was a bit buzzed the other night and I realized the word play in this this thread title.

"Tracking" Lions.

I get it. Of course, it took me 11 years...

*sigh*

[Futureshock]

Aw dam man. I'm now years old when I got it too.

Well, at least I am consistent

[Futureshock]

Jamaal Williams calls contract offer from Lions ‘disrespectful’


The former Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams has never been shy to express his feelings and he did so in his introductory Saints press conference.

By Erik Schlitt@erikschlitt Mar 17, 2023, 3:39pm EDT

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The Detroit Lions approach to the 2023 free agency period has been aggressive and directed. Unlike previous seasons, they have gone after targets and have been unwilling to wait on their own free agents who have decided to test the market.

Jamaal Williams was one of the emotional leaders of the Lions’ 2022 season and was entering free agency coming off a career season that saw him eclipse the 1,000-yard mark on the ground and broke Lions records for touchdowns scored in a single season.

To no one's surprise, Williams rightfully planned on testing the free agency market, but Williams was such an important piece to the organization last season, most believed they would reach an agreement.

When the free agency period opened, the sides remained in conversation, but it wasn’t long before reports of the two sides being “far apart” on terms surfaced.

By Tuesday night, the Lions and Williams could not reach a deal and both sides went in different directions, with the Lions signing running back David Montgomery and Williams signing in New Orleans.

There have been a lot of rumors surrounding the circumstances of why the two sides couldn’t agree—some wildly speculative—with no clear answers about what went wrong.

On Friday, Williams met with the Saints media and was asked directly about his offer from Detroit. Williams, as is typical, was not shy about sharing his feelings:

“They been done with me. I could tell. The offer they gave me, I feel like was very—just disrespectful. Just showing that they—you know—really didn’t want me to be there, like that. But it’s all love. Like I know my teammates, everybody there at the Detroit Lions have love for me and all that. But, at the same time, we couldn’t come to terms with things.”

Williams suggesting a “disrespectful” offer seems to line up with what MLive’s Kyle Meinke had heard about the Lions offer, as he offered his thoughts both on Twitter and his most recent Dungeon of Doom podcast.

As I said on the podcast today, the Lions’ offer to Jamaal Williams was nowhere near what New Orleans gave him https://t.co/W1SvPHTOgj https://t.co/E79Bhembli

— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) March 17, 2023

And While Meikne could very well be spot on, there have been some conflicting reports on the Lions offer.

For example, Dave Birkett of the Free Press wrote that the Lions “were believed to be offering Williams a similar deal to the one they gave Montgomery.” Which lines up closely with what some sources have told Pride of Detroit.

We may never get a clear answer to what happened behind closed doors, but I’m sure both sides are eager to put the negotiations behind them and focus on the future.

New Saints RB Jamaal Williams says the #Lions offer was “disrespectful” and that “they’ve been done with him”#OnePride #DetroitLions pic.twitter.com/g5s3EhMxGO

— Detroit Lions Double Take (@Det_Lions_DLDT) March 17, 2023

[whatever_gong82]

Jamaal Williams calls Lions offer 'disrespectful,' eager to prove critics wrong

Justin Rogers

The Detroit News



The New Orleans media got the full Jamaal Williams experience during his introductory press conference on Friday. Wearing a Pokémon hat, playfully poking fun at reporters' socks and facial hair and breaking down his interest in beignets and dislike of crawfish with the heads still attached, the always-random and equally entertaining running back was in rare form during the 20-minute session.

But, underneath the smile and laughs ran an undercurrent of frustration. After signing a three-year deal with the Saints, Williams called Detroit's contract offer 'disrespectful,' and pledged to prove to critics he's more than just a goal-line back, after racking up a league-leading 17 rushing touchdowns last season.



"They been done with me, I could tell," Williams said about his time in Detroit. "The offer they gave me, I feel like it was very, just disrespectful, just showing that they really, you know, didn't want me to really be there like that. But, it's all love. I know my teammates; everybody there at the Detroit Lions has love for me and all that. At the same time, we couldn't come to terms with things."

The comments parallel those made by Williams when he first came to Detroit, comparing his exit in Green Bay, where he'd spent the previous four years, to being dumped.






"They didn't want me, like that ex-girlfriend," Williams said in 2021. "Glad that I got a rebound, it was the Lions and they treat me good. You know what I mean? Now, they're feeding me good, taking me to dinners. Another man's trash is another man's treasure."


And like he did in that situation, Williams is looking to use that to fuel his motivation. It certainly worked in Detroit, where he experienced a career year in 2022, topping 1,000 yards for the first time, while breaking Barry Sanders' franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season.

Additionally, Williams is also irked by how people have talked about that performance, diminishing his accomplishments. In New Orleans, where he'll work in tandem with five-time Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara, Williams is eager to show perceptions about his skill set are wrong.





"You can have the greatest season of your life and people are always just going to find something to be negative about," Williams said. "I don't really worry about it, because at the end of the day, I know I'm my biggest critic and I know what I can improve on to be better. I'm just going to keep doing that. I don't really worry about what other people say. I take notice to it, just to have it in the area and be aware of my surroundings, but I don't really let it affect me as a person.

"Well, I do take it personal, because I take it as a personal challenge for me, just to get better," he continued. "At the end of the day, I just like proving people wrong. You think you know me. You don't know me. I will show you."



Former teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown, on his podcast for "The 33rd team," said the Lions will definitely miss Williams, both what he brought to the field and the locker room.

"I'm excited for him," St. Brown said. "I think that's a good fit, honestly. I know they have Kamara over there, but shoot, I already know he's going to run hard. That's what he does. I'm just excited to see him. I wish he would have been on the Lions, but I know how things worked out.






"Jamaal, for us, in the locker room, he was a great dude," St. Brown continued. "Dude was kind of a leader for us. The fans loved him, I know Detroit loved him, but I think it's a business at the end of the day. I think Jamaal gets that, the Lions understand it, and I think the fans kind of get it, too. It won't be too bad at the end of the day, because like I said, Jamaal is going to go crazy wherever he is."

The Saints awarded Jamaal Williams with a three-year, $12 million deal the day after the Lions signed his replacement, David Montgomery. St. Brown's brother, Equanimeous, who was teammates with Montgomery in Chicago, noted on the podcast that the Lions are getting an outstanding player.

"They should (already) know," Equanimeous said. "I know they're sad to see Jamaal go, but (Montgomery) is one of the hardest running backs I've ever seen run the ball. I just remember being on the Packers and playing against him, just thinking, 'Damn, we can not tackle this man.' I'm pissed to see him go."


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers

[Fraquar]

Given the state of the RB position in todays game - "disrespectful" is probably a reflection of the age of the RB.
Williams will be 28 this year - old by modern day RB standards - you are paying for his declining years in a multi-year deal.
It's not like he's an Adrian Peterson type.....

[The King]

Dude had a career year with a shitload of 1 yd TD. That simply isn’t going to happen again. We got a better/younger player instead. Thems the breaks.

[The King]

After we signed Montgomery, the RB flew off the board. That market dried up real quick. Props to Holmes for getting his guy. The other FA RB didn’t really fit here. We got a hard runner who grinds. He doesn’t have to be a workhorse here.

I expect a RB in the draft. It’s very deep at RB.

[Forsh]

Williams was a great guy to have around for his attitude and he ran hard ... but I thought he was a solid jag RB when he came and still feel that way. He should be thankful that he got to run behind that OL ... and a bit thankful that Swift couldn't stay healthy. There's a reason 2 teams didn't care to keep him

[GALion68]

Wasn’t meant to be with Williams, once Montgomery was in the picture that sealed it.
Montgomery has more of an upside.

[Futureshock]

Cardinals announce they have agreed to terms with Zach Pascal, David Blough

Posted by Charean Williams on March 20, 2023, 8:20 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Cardinals announced they have agreed to a two-year contract with receiver Zach Pascal and a one-year deal with quarterback David Blough.

Pascal, who stands 6 foot 2, gives the Eagles some size at the position.

He follows new Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon from Philadelphia, where Pascal played last season after four seasons in Indianapolis.

In 2022, Pascal appeared in all 17 games for the Eagles, making 15 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 37.5 catches for 472 yards in his four seasons in Indianapolis, and the only game he has missed in five seasons was against the Cardinals in 2021 when he was out with COVID-19.

The Cardinals still have No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins on their roster, along with Hollywood Brown, Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch, but they are attempting to trade Hopkins.

Blough returns to Arizona after starting the last two games of 2022.

He completed 38 of 58 passes for 402 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He joins Colt McCoy as the options — for now — to fill in for Kyler Murray while Murray rehabs his surgically repaired anterior cruciate ligament.