The Las Vegas Raiders are continuing to plan for a possible season without star running back Josh Jacobs with the signing of veteran Damien Williams.
After Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards in 2022, it would be expected that the Raiders would offer a long-term deal to one of their offensive stars. However, with the value of running backs continuing to fall on the open market, the Raiders instead decided to place a franchise tag on the 25-year-old.
But this looks to be something which Jacobs has declined and he has yet to return to the franchise this offseason.
As a result of the uncertainty surrounding Jacobs, the Raiders are bolstering their run game with Williams being the latest addition.
Williams may not have a glittering career, but he has shown that he can deliver when it matters, one example being the 2019 postseason with the Kansas City Chiefs where in the team's win over the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LIV, Williams made 17 carries for 104 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Since leaving the Chiefs in March 2021, Williams has spent a year at the Chicago Bears and then the Atlanta Falcons where a rib injury in week one of the 2022 season saw him placed on injury reserve and missing the rest of the season before being released.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels revealed that Williams was a player that the team had interest in prior to the uncertainty surrounding Jacobs.
"Damien's a guy we worked out earlier in training camp who was in shape," McDaniels said.
He's had a productive career, he's a good football player, he's smart, he's tough. So, we were interested in him honestly before that."
The Raiders begin their preseason on Sunday with a game against the 49ers.
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