Bears bring in running back who had best year of his career with Ben Johnson

Ahead of Sunday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, the Chicago Bears kicked the tires on a player head coach Ben Johnson knows well.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, veteran running back Jamaal Williams was at Halas Hall for a workout on Saturday.

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, Williams signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent in 2021. In his second season there he set the then-single season franchise record with 17 rushing touchdowns. He also topped 1,000 yards on the ground for the first (and only) time in his career thus far, as the lead back in a time share with former Lion and now-Bear D'Andre Swift.

Williams then signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2023. He totaled just 470 rushing yards over two seasons there, in a very limited role, before he was released in March. That stretch in New Orleans is another tie for him to the Bears coaching staff, as defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was of course previously the Saints' head coach from 2022-2024.

Bears are keeping their eyes open for RB depth

In a broad sense, it seemed inevitable the Bears would add a running back of note this offseason. But free agency plans never really seemed to gather much juice, and effort to target certain players in the draft did not come to fruition.

So directly behind Swift on the depth chart is third-year man Roschon Johnson and seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai, and as Alex Shapiro of CHSN noted Johnson has been absent from practice recently.

The idea of the Bears signing Williams, due to his history with Johnson/in Johnson's offense, has lingered as a vague notion for awhile. Based on his two years with the Saints it's not surprising he remains available into August, and if the Bears are concerned about their running back depth bringing him for a workout makes sense.

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Of course a workout does not necessarily mean Williams will be signed. If nothing else, news of the Bears bringing him in helps him by putting him on the radar of the entire league.