Recently reinstated RB Karlos Williams could be buy-low option for Redskins
Karlos Williams hasn’t played a snap in the NFL since the final game of the 2015 season. He has been reinstated into the league and could be a good buy-low option for the Washington Redskins.
In 2015, Karlos Williams was one of the most surprising rookie performers. A fifth-round pick out of Florida State, Williams served as the primary backup to LeSean McCoy with the Bills. In that role, he was fantastic, generating 517 yards and seven touchdowns on just 93 carries while also adding two TDs through the air. He looked like the potential successor to Shady and at the very least had long-term upside.
However, following his last game, things went off the rails for Williams. He showed up ahead of the 2016 badly out of shape and was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Eventually, the Bills cut him. Since that time, he has been suspended twice more by the NFL and hasn’t played a down.
Now, Williams is reportedly being reinstated into the NFL after years away from the game. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the following about his reinstatement on Twitter.
Ex-#Bills RB Karlos Williams, who had been serving a suspension for violations of the substance abuse policy since March 8, 2017, was conditionally reinstated yesterday, source said. The letter from the NFL stated he was humbled and committed to not squandering his second chance.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 21, 2019
If Williams truly is committed, then some team will give him another chance. And the Redskins may be a good landing spot for him.
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The Redskins may have a backup opening available behind presumed starter Derrius Guice. Adrian Peterson could re-sign with the team, but he’s 34 and may want to look for another starting job in the twilight of his career. Samaje Perine has upside and a solid skill set, but the team hasn’t been willing to trust him. Meanwhile, Chris Thompson is more of a receiving back and can’t carry too heavy of a workload due to his size/injury concerns.
Williams could come to the Redskins and challenge Perine for either the backup role or a roster spot (if Peterson re-signs). Williams still has upside — believe it or not, he won’t turn 26 until May — and he will have fresh legs after a few years off. If he’s in shape, he could make an impact in a rotational role as he did in Buffalo.
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It will be important to vet Williams and ensure the team doesn’t sink too many resources into him. After all, he’s one strike away from another indefinite suspension. But, if the Redskins can get a guy who averaged 5.6 yards per carry in his lone NFL season on the cheap, he would be a worthwhile addition. At the very least, the team should kick the tires on Williams to see what he has left in the tank ahead of the start of the 2019 offseason.