Jamaal Williams helped fix Lions’ shattered culture, could he help Rams revive theirs?

Williams far apart on a new deal with Detroit

The Los Angeles Rams haven’t been very active in free agency so far. Well, besides the whole (sniff) Jalen Ramsey trade and all. Dang, I’m tearing up again,

Anyways, this was expected out of a team looking to sell off some of their expensive core pieces. More pain might be on the way so something else to look forward to during a rather sucky beginning to the new league year. Luckily there could be a light at the end of the tunnel if Jamaal Williams leaves Detroit.

On Tuesday night, the Lions agreed to terms with former Bears running back David Montgomery, likely slamming the door shut on a Jamaal return. Not to say he won’t re-sign with the team but negotiations have reportedly been far apart. Either way, Williams will always be a legend in the Motor City as he helped fix the Lions’ shattered culture following the failed Matt Patricia era. He suffered through a painful 3-13-1 season in his first year before leading the team to a 9-8 record last season.

If he helped make the Lions relevant, isn’t there a chance he could revive a Rams squad seeking to regain their cultural identity during a difficult transition period? Jamaal Williams may have only been in Detroit for two years but his impact was immense.

LA desperately needs another leader in the huddle, even if he doesn’t stay with the team for more than a couple seasons. Not that the Rams’ culture is completely crumbling to the ground. They simply need an outsider who is already emotionally invested and willing to provide a boost whenever necessary. Think of it like the “Andrew Whitworth effect 2.0”. That type of impact tends to be overlooked by most teams. Detroit was smart enough to see it in him when the rest of the league didn’t.

On the football side of things, Williams gained a career-high 1,066 yards and broke Barry Sanders’ single-season touchdown mark in ‘22. The Lions led the league with 23 rushing touchdowns including 17 from Jamaal alone. For his career, Williams has been money in short yardage situations.

With Cam Akers expected to be a workhorse next season, all he really needs is a nice complement in the backfield. If Jamaal Williams is unable to agree to a new contract with the Lions, he’ll have plenty of suitors. LA has other areas of need to be addressed so Williams would end up been more of a luxury.

It would still be great to see the Rams make a run for him. Not just for Akers’ sake but for helping an LA team unaccustomed to losing regain their mojo. This isn’t who the Rams were supposed to be, yet Jamaal Williams will go to war with them no matter what. That’s just the kind of guy he is.