The New Orleans Saints signed former Lions running back Jamaal Williams and also made deals with defensive tackles Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd on Wednesday, according to reports from ESPN and NFL Network, respectively.
Williams, who reportedly inked a three-year, $12-million deal with the Saints, racked up an NFL-best 17 touchdowns on the ground while posting a 1,000-yard season — the first of his career — for Detroit in 2022.
The 27-year-old spent his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, rushing for 1,985 yards and 10 touchdowns while splitting time at the position. He joined the Lions in 2021, rushing for 601 yards on 3.9 yards per carry.
Saunders, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $14.5 million.
Shepherd, who played the last five seasons with the New York Jets, reached a three-year, $15 million agreement with $10.8 million guaranteed.
Saunders, 26, appeared in 16 games for the Chiefs in 2022 and collected a career-high 3.5 sacks. He has played in 38 games (five starts) since Kansas City drafted him in the third round in 2019.
Shepherd, 29, played in 17 games (three starts) for the Jets in 2022 and posted a career-high 33 tackles. He has six sacks in 73 games (12 starts) since New York made him a third-round pick in 2018.
–Field Level Media
