Falcons sign running back Damien Williams to one-year deal

The Falcons are adding running back Damien Williams to the roster on a one-year deal, the organization announced on Thursday. Williams comes to Atlanta after one season with Chicago where he appeared in 12 games and rushed for 164 yards on 40 carries.

Williams was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Dolphins in 2014. The running back stayed in Miami four years before making the jump to Kansas City in 2018, where he had the best two-year stint of his career.

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After the Chiefs released former starting running back Kareem Hunt, Williams saw his game reps increase. In December of 2018, Williams signed a two-year, $8.1 million contract extension with Kansas City. Through two years with the Chiefs, Williams appeared in 27 games, accumulating 754 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns. He also won a Super Bowl with Kansas City, a game in which the running back shined in.

Williams rushed 17 times for 104 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown run. He also caught four passes for 29 yards, one for a touchdown, during win. Williams became the first player in Super Bowl history with at least 100 rushing yards while also recording a rushing and receiving touchdown.

Williams opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing on Sirius XM radio that his reasoning stemmed from his mother being recently diagnosed with cancer. Williams was released in March 2021 and signed with the Bears 10 days later.

At 29 years old, Williams follows his former Bears running backs coach - Michael Pitre - to the Falcons. Pitre was hired by the organization at the end of January, replacing Desmond Kitchings who left to become the offensive coordinator for Virginia.

There are still a few questions remaining regarding the construction of the Falcons 2022 running back room. There's no guarantee that Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson return. Now that the Falcons have added Williams it seems even more unlikely that they both do.