No deal is imminent between the Jets and free agent Karlos Williams, who visited the team Tuesday and Wednesday, but the running back would like that to change. After the Jets hosted Williams, the former Bill posted a video on Twitter expressing a desire to sign with the club.
“I love New York, love being close to the city. I’d like to fly with the Jets, baby,” said Williams, who also stated that he met with the Jets’ general manager, personnel director, head of security and owner. However, as noted by Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, owner Woody Johnson was not in the building when Williams visited the team.
Williams didn’t get every detail of his trip to Jets facilities right, then, but he did shed more light on what he and club brass discussed.
“Asked me a lot of combine [type] questions, obviously. Want to know my background and my people. No offer yet, but it was a good visit,” commented the 23-year-old.
Although immensely talented, any team interested in Williams would need to do its due diligence before signing him, as the Jets have. Despite a rookie year in which he averaged 5.6 yards per carry, picked up 613 scrimmage yards and scored nine times on just 104 touches, the Bills cut the 2015 fifth-round pick over the weekend.
Williams fell behind in Buffalo’s running back competition this summer thanks to weight problems, and he’s suspended for the first four games of the regular season after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The rest of the league’s teams have taken notice, apparently, as the ex-Florida State Seminole passed through waivers unclaimed after Buffalo parted with him.
If Williams ultimately gets his wish to to join the Jets, he’ll further deepen a backfield that already looks strong. New York has a quality starter in Matt Forte, whom it signed in free agency, as well as a high-end reserve in Bilal Powell. Other options include Khiry Robinson, Antone Smith and Dominique Williams, as the Jets’ depth chart indicates.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.