By Adeniyi Precious 
The New Orleans Saints are moving on from veteran running back Jamaal Williams. Multiple reports confirm that the team is letting the 29-year-old go as part of their ongoing efforts to trim their bloated salary cap.
New Orleans is in a tough financial spot, needing to cut at least $40 million in player salaries before the new league year kicks off next week. Releasing Williams will free up about $1.59 million in cap space.
Williams joined the Saints in 2023 after a standout season with the Detroit Lions, where he led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns in 2022. Fans loved his high-energy personality, as seen on HBO’s Hard Knocks, and his off-field interests in anime and gaming made him even more popular.
When he left Detroit, he wasn’t exactly happy with how things went down. “The offer they gave me, I feel like it was very disrespectful,” Williams said after signing with the Saints. “It just showed they didn’t really want me there like that. But it’s all love.”
Williams signed a three-year deal with New Orleans worth $4 million per season, with $8 million guaranteed. However, his 2023 season didn’t live up to expectations—he rushed for just 164 yards on 48 carries and scored one touchdown while catching nine passes for 57 yards.