Tag: Williams

July 31, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Wide receiver Ryan Williams makes a catch during the second practice session of the preseason for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama WR Ryan Williams (concussion) is day-to-day

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Alabama standout receiver Ryan Williams is day-to-day as he deals with a concussion, Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday.

Williams’ status for Saturday’s game against visiting Louisiana-Monroe will be firmed up later in the week.

“He will go through concussion protocol throughout the week,” DeBoer told reporters.

Williams exited Alabama’s season-opening 31-17 loss Saturday at Florida State in the fourth quarter due to the concussion.

Williams took a blow to the head after dropping a pass with 6:07 left in the contest. Two Seminoles were in the area and Earl Little Jr. was called for targeting before the ruling was reviewed and subsequently overturned.

Williams finished with five receptions for just 30 yards with a long gain of 11.

“He never really got going in the game, before getting hurt,” DeBoer said. “We’ll continue to have to make sure we’re moving him around.”

Williams excelled last season by catching 48 passes for a team-high 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores and averaged 10.0 yards returning punts for the Crimson Tide.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) during warmups before the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Alabama star WR Ryan Williams (concussion) hurt vs. Florida State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Star receiver Ryan Williams exited Alabama’s season-opening 31-17 loss Saturday at Florida State in the fourth quarter due to a concussion, according to head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Williams took a blow to the head after dropping a pass with 6:07 left in the contest. Two Seminoles were in the area and Earl Little Jr. was called for targeting before the ruling was reviewed and subsequently overturned.

Williams made his way off the field and didn’t return to the contest for No. 8 Alabama. DeBoer said the 6-foot sophomore will be evaluated leading up to next week’s home game against UL Monroe.

Williams finished with five receptions for just 30 yards in the shocking loss to a Florida State team coming off a 2-10 campaign. His long gain was 11 yards.

Williams excelled last season by catching 48 passes for a team-high 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores and returned punts for the Crimson Tide.

–Field Level Media

Jul 24, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Bears QB Caleb Williams won’t play in preseason opener

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will not play in Sunday’s preseason opener against the visiting Miami Dolphins, head coach Ben Johnson confirmed Friday.

Williams and about 17 other starters will sit out Sunday but are expected to see action at some point during the exhibition slate.

“I think we have about nine on O, nine on D,” Johnson said of the starters who won’t play. “We’ll see how the day goes, maybe that number will change. So, we’ll make it through the day, and we’ll make those final decisions when we get there.”

The Bears and Dolphins are having a joint practice Friday, giving Johnson and his coaches a chance to see Williams and the others in action.

“I would suspect that we will have them play at some point (in the preseason), yeah,” Johnson said. “But that’s to be determined.”

Third-year quarterback Tyson Bagent will start against Miami and play the first half, with veteran Case Keenum and Austin Reed also taking snaps.

Williams, 23, was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He started every game as a rookie, finishing 5-12 with 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Jul 23, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Reports: Rams RB Kyren Williams reaches 3-year, $33M extension

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Pro Bowl running back Kyren Williams and the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract extension with $23 million guaranteed, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

The deal makes Williams the seventh highest-paid running back in the NFL based on new money per season. He was set to enter the final season of his rookie contract with a base salary of $5.35 million, per Spotrac.

Williams, 24, made a huge impact in 2024, recording career highs in carries (316), rushing yards (1,299) and rushing touchdowns (14).

He has rushed for 2,582 yards and totaled 31 touchdowns (26 rushing, five receiving) in 38 games since being selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Last season, Williams became the third Rams player age 24 or younger to have at least 27 scrimmage touchdowns in a two-year span. He joined Todd Gurley (40, 2017-18) and Hall of Fame member Eric Dickerson (34, 1983-84) on the short list.

–Field Level Media

May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23)during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rams RB Kyren Williams reports, QB Matthew Stafford nursing back issue

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Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams reported to training camp Tuesday while seeking a new contract and the status of his quarterback was a surprise.

Williams said he plans to participate in practice, but head coach Sean McVay said Matthew Stafford was not ready to practice because of a sore back. McVay said the issue is not expected to be a problem into the regular season in September.

Williams told reporters that he anticipates completing a contract extension, however there is no timeline to do so. He also said he plans to be ready to play in the season opener even if he has not signed a new deal.

“For me there was no decision,” Williams said of whether or not to show up at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

“I play football. That’s what I do, that’s what I love. At the end of the day, I do this not for the money, not for the fame or the popularity but to take care of my family. … For me, it’s a lot bigger than a contract negotiation. For me, it’s putting my feet on the ground and continue to get better.”

Williams, 25, is entering the final season of his rookie deal and has a base salary of $5.35 million, per Spotrac.

He made a huge impact in 2024, recording career highs in carries (316), rushing yards (1,299) and rushing touchdowns (14). He has rushed for 2,582 yards and totaled 31 touchdowns (26 rushing, five receiving) in 38 games since being selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Last season, Williams became the third Rams player age 24 or younger to have at least 27 scrimmage touchdowns in a two-year span. He joined Todd Gurley (40, 2017-18) and Hall of Fame member Eric Dickerson (34, 1983-84) on the short list.

–Field Level Media

Nov 10, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) reacts after a pass against the New England Patriots during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Book details QB Caleb Williams’ efforts to avoid Bears

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Caleb Williams and his father looked into circumventing the 2024 NFL Draft to avoid going to the Chicago Bears as the No. 1 pick, according to details from a forthcoming book.

“Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” Williams’ father, Carl Williams, said to ESPN writer Seth Wickersham, author of “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,” prior to the draft.

Concerned about the Bears’ first-round misfires with quarterbacks Justin Fields (2021) and Mitchell Trubisky (2017), Carl Williams explored ways to avoid the draft and also get around the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

“The rookie cap is just unconstitutional,” Carl Williams told Wickersham, adding that the CBA is the “worst piece of s— I’ve ever read. It’s the worst in sports history.”

Caleb Williams would have preferred going to Minnesota after hitting it off with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell at the combine, according to the book that is due to hit shelves in September.

Despite the concerns of the Williams family, Bears general manager Ryan Poles told the former Southern California signal-caller: “We’re drafting you no matter what.”

The Bears declined to comment to ESPN on the revelations made in Wickersham’s book.

Williams, 23, wound up starting all 17 games for Chicago as a rookie last year, completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions.

The Bears finished 5-12 and parted ways with head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron along the way.

Under new head coach Ben Johnson and new coordinator Declan Doyle, Williams and the Bears kick off the 2025 regular season on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 8 against the Vikings at Soldier Field.

–Field Level Media

Dec 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Trayveon Williams (32) reacts after a play against the Cleveland Browns in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Patriots sign free agent RB Trayveon Williams

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New England Patriots on Wednesday announced the signing of free agent running back Trayveon Williams.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Williams, 27, primarily a special teams player in Cincinnati, has rushed for 307 yards in 68 career games (zero starts) since the Bengals selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. He also has 15 catches for 74 yards.

In a corresponding move, the Patriots released defensive tackle Eric Johnson II, who was claimed off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts last August.

Johnson, 26, recorded 17 tackles in 11 games (zero starts) for the Pats last season.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) talks to principal owner and chair Sheila Ford Hamp, right, and her husband Steve Hamp before the game between Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.

Lions exercise options on Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Detroit Lions exercised their fifth-year options on defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and wide receiver Jameson Williams on Friday.

Also on Friday, the Dallas Cowboys picked up the fifth-year option on offensive tackle Tyler Smith.

Hutchinson, the second overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, is in line to pocket $19.872 million, while Williams is set to take home $15.493 million. The wideout was selected by the Lions with the 12th overall pick of the same draft.

Hutchinson, 24, has provided a massive presence on defense in Detroit while also earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2023.

He recorded 28.5 sacks in 39 games (all starts) before sustaining a fractured tibia and fibula in the third quarter of a 47-9 road victory against the Cowboys on Oct. 13.

Williams, 24, hauled in 58 catches for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games (11 starts) in 2024. He has 10 touchdowns in 33 career games (21 starts).

Smith, 24, will receive $23.4 million in 2026. He has started all 47 games in which he has played and been selected to the Pro Bowl twice in his first three years since being selected by the Cowboys with the 24th pick in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams (21) reacts after a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Saints release underachieving RB Jamaal Williams

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New Orleans Saints released running back Jamaal Williams on Tuesday, reportedly clearing $1.59 million in salary cap space.

Williams signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the Saints after having a career season with the Detroit Lions in 2022.

But his production was meager in 27 games (five starts) with New Orleans. Williams had just 470 rushing yards and two touchdowns and caught 27 passes for 119 yards.

Last season, Williams had 164 yards and one touchdown on the ground and nine receptions for 57 yards in 14 games (one start).

In 2022, Williams rushed for 1,066 yards and an NFL-high 17 rushing touchdowns with the Lions before becoming a free agent.

Williams, who turns 30 next month, has rushed for 4,122 yards and 32 touchdowns and caught 187 passes for 1,310 yards and eight TDs in 117 games (45 starts) with the Green Bay Packers (2017-20), Lions (2021-22) and Saints.

–Field Level Media

Nov 17, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Injuries pile up, 49ers uncertain QB Brock Purdy can return Sunday

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was limited with the right shoulder injury that sidelined him last week and there is growing concern about the long-term status of left tackle Trent Williams.

Wednesday’s practice was not the start to the NFL workweek head coach Kyle Shanahan had hoped after Purdy was unable to bounce back from a shoulder injury in Week 11. Brandon Allen started at Green Bay and the 49ers (5-6) lost 38-10 with the backup-turned-starter committing three turnovers.

Williams was reportedly spotted in the locker room with a knee scooter and is experiencing pain walking. He played through an ankle injury against the Seattle Seahawks Nov. 17.

Defensive end Nick Bosa (hip, oblique) also missed practice Wednesday, leaving the 49ers to spend the holiday plotting to play the Buffalo Bills (9-2) without the three Pro Bowlers again.

“I don’t know anyone who gets Thanksgiving off unless maybe you have a Monday night game. You just start a lot earlier and get the players out,” Shanahan said. “We cram everything in so the players get out, tries to be home with the family by 5. I usually get home by 7 and they’re all mad at me, then get back to red-zone (installation).”

The 49ers are in danger of a three-game losing streak for the first time since Oct. 2021.

Injuries have been a common thread since September when running back Christian McCaffrey was a surprise scratch with an Achilles injury for the opener. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (ACL) is out for the season at a position dinged from top to bottom.

Star linebacker Fred Warner also is ailing and said Wednesday that he fractured a bone in his ankle on Sept. 29 against the New England Patriots. The game against the Bills will mark his eighth straight game playing with the injury.

“It’s something I deal with every game,” Warner said. “I get on that table before every game and get it shot up every single game just to be able to roll. But it’s not an excuse. It’s just what it is. That’s the NFL. You’re not going to be healthy. You’ve got to go out there, you’ve got to find ways to execute, to play at a high level and to win every single week.”

Shanahan wasn’t interested in injury talk. He said the 49ers have not played well in the past two weeks, and puts part of his focus on getting more out of the running game with snow in the forecast on Sunday night.

He’s not in agreement with pundits who doubt McCaffrey’s ability early into his return from injured reserve, with a per-carry average of 3.5 yards compared to 5.4 in 2023.

“The speculation on Christian is a little unfair to him,” Shanahan said. “Christian is playing very well. He’s playing his ass off. To think a guy who misses the entire offseason is going to come back and be the exact same the day he comes back would be unfair to any player in the world.”

San Francisco opened the 21-day practice window for linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who tore his Achilles in the Super Bowl in February. His return date is unclear.

–Field Level Media