Seahawks: 3 free agent running backs Seattle should sign this offseason
By Lee Vowell
Darrel Williams
Darrel Williams is not a breakaway threat but does fit the mold of a Pete Carroll-style running back. Williams is like a bowling ball and can grind out yards when yards aren’t always there to get. Picking up first downs consistently, especially third-and-shorts, was an issue for Seattle this season and Williams would help fix that.
In 2021 with the Chiefs, Williams ran 144 times for 568 yards, both career highs. 40 of his runs went for first downs, or 28 percent of the time. In comparison, Chris Carson, another running back who can move piles and big up an extra yard or two, has picked up first downs on 26.3 percent of his career carries. Williams is simply a great short-yardage back.
But Williams can also catch the ball well. This season, he caught 82.5 percent of his 57 targets. He turned his 47 catches into 452 yards. Williams finished with 1,010 total yards in 2021 and 8 combined touchdowns.
The 5’11” and 220-pound back will be just 27 years old when the 2022 season begins as well and hasn’t been overused so far in his four years. In the last two years, he hasn’t missed a game but has only 248 touches. This means if the Seahawks do sign him, Williams will be fresh and a great part of a rotation of backs.