NFL Player News

Williams re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract Thursday.

Williams closed out the 2022 season as Cincinnati's kick returner. He's likely to reprise that role in 2023 and could also see an uptick in usage on offense as a depth option in the backfield behind Joe Mixon and Chris Evans.

The Buccaneers are signing Edmonds to a one-year contract Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Edmonds is coming off a disappointing 2022 campaign, having suited up for eight games with the Dolphins and five games with the Broncos, but with just 245 rushing yards and two touchdowns (3.6 YPC) plus 16 catches for 157 yards and a receiving score. The 26-year-old did look better down the stretch in Denver, and from 2019-21 with Arizona he was one of the most efficient running back's in the NFL, so he's could be worth monitoring in his new landing spot. With the Buccaneers having released Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White currently stands as Edmonds' primary competition for touches.

Kamara has added competition for carries this coming season after the Saints agreed to a deal Wednesday with free-agent running back Jamaal Williams, ESPN.com reports.

Kamara's overall production stagnated as he dealt with numerous lingering injuries throughout the 2022 campaign, logging 1,387 total yards on 280 touches across 15 regular-season games. However, he still accounted for the vast majority of the Saints' carries at running back, as the team sorely lacked depth in the backfield and across the offense as a whole. The addition of Williams changes the backfield dynamic, with the 224-pound bruiser having come off a productive 2022 campaign in Detroit in which he logged 262 carries for 1,066 yards and a franchise-record and NFL-high 17 touchdowns. The 27-year-old Williams should once again fall into a complementary role in New Orleans while playing behind Kamara. The Saints' No. 1 running back is still set to begin trial July 31 after he was charged with conspiracy to commit battery and substantial bodily harm stemming from a February 2022 incident. Therefore, Kamara's availability for the beginning of the 2023 campaign will likely be up in the air until this case concludes.

Robinson agreed to a two-year contract with the Patriots on Wednesday, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

Robinson's deal can be worth up to $8 million with incentives. After bursting onto the scene with 1,847 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns across his first two professional seasons with Jacksonville, Robinson struggled during an injury riddled 2022 campaign, mustering just 425 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in 11 appearances between the Jaguars and Jets. He tore his Achilles late in the 2021 season and battled a knee injury in 2022, but the Patriots are hoping that Robinson will regain his pre-injury form while contributing to a backfield led by Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Vikings and Mattison agreed to terms on a two-year contract Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Mattison has played second fiddle to fellow running back Dalvin Cook for his entire four-year career, but the former has had a handful of chances to shine, starting in six of his 59 appearances. Overall, Mattison has averaged just 4.1 yards per carry and scored 14 touchdowns, but he's also reeled in 70 of 84 targets for 526 yards, good for an 83.3 percent catch rate. There have been rumblings this offseason that the Vikings may be willing to part ways with Cook, so Mattison could benefit in 2023 if the structure of the team's backfield is altered in the coming months.

The Panthers and Sanders agreed to terms on a contract Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

After dealing Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers last season, the Panthers went with D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard out of the backfield for the second half of the campaign. Foreman wasn't retained in free agency, so the addition of Sanders indicates that he'll be Carolina's lead runner in 2023. On a team with sparse skill-position talent, Sanders arrives following the first 1,000-yard season of his career, boasting a YPC a shade over 5.0. Additionally, he hauled in 70.9 percent of his 175 targets for 7.6 yards per catch in 57 appearances since the Eagles took him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Saints and Williams agreed to terms on a three-year, $12 million contract Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

After racking up an NFL-high and team-record 17 rushing touchdowns for the Lions last season, Williams will move on to the third organization of his career. With New Orleans, he'll be the clear second option out of the backfield behind Alvin Kamara, but Williams should nonetheless earn his typical allotment of short-yardage and goal-line work. Moreover, the 2017 fourth-round selection offers the team a reliable option to turn to in the event that Kamara ends up facing any NFL discipline stemming from a February 2022 incident that has Kamara slated to appear in court in July, per ESPN.com.

Dallas didn't extend Dowdle (ankle) a qualifying offer or contract tender as a restricted free agent Wednesday, so he's officially an unrestricted free agent, per the NFL's transaction log.

Dowdle appeared in five games for the Cowboys in 2022, playing nearly exclusively on special teams, before landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury in October. He spent the rest of the season on IR, but now that he's healthy, the undrafted running back out of South Carolina will look to land a new deal in free agency. The 24-year-old also has experience as a kick returner, would should boost his value this summer.

Chicago didn't extend Evans a qualifying offer or tender as a restricted free agent Wednesday, so he's officially an unrestricted free agent, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.

Evans appeared in six games for the Bears in 2022, totaling 14 rushing attempts for 64 yards and securing his lone target for 33 yards. The 2020 third-round pick has previous experience as a kick-return man during his time in Tennessee, which should increase his value as a free agent this summer.

Jones wasn't tendered an offer from the Seahawks as a restricted free agent, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.

Jones landed in Seattle late last year after he was cut by the Saints. He rushed eight times for 16 yards in a Seahawks uniform and will head to the open market, where he'll look to latch on as a camp body in an effort to make a team this summer.