Report: Buccaneers Pursuing Former Ravens Running Back
Sometimes bad news can be good news, and if former Baltimore Ravens running back Ty'Son Williams ends up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his misfortune may lead to some hardware next February.
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After getting hit hard in the preseason by injuries to their running back group, the Baltimore Ravens turned to Williams who impressed early but was unable to produce consistently for the team.
While he was tendered originally by the Ravens franchise for the 2022 NFL Season, the team's signing of veteran back Mike Davis on Wednesday created a reversal in that decision, making Williams an unrestricted free-agent open to signing with any team he chooses.
For the Bucs, the running back group is led by veteran Leonard Fournette who was a player looking for a fresh start himself when he joined the team in 2020.
A pair of third-round NFL Draft picks in Ke'Shawn Vaughn and rookie Rashaad White join veteran Giovanni Bernard in rounding out the current depth for the group.
Of course, competition never hurts, and according to Greg Auman of The Athletic, Tampa Bay could be in the process of adding the 25-year-old Williams to the mix.
"Bucs are one of a number of teams that have reached out to running back Ty’son Williams, a free agent after Ravens withdrew their tender. Averaged 5.3 yards per carry in limited work last season."
Williams appeared in 13 games for the Ravens during the 2021 season, starting three.
In those opportunities, he got 35 carries and turned those into 185 rushing yards with one touchdown scored.
He added nine catches and another 84 yards in the passing game.
The scouting report on Williams is about what you'd expect of a running back available in the month of May.
"He is an explosive runner that can pick up key yards and does a solid job protecting the football", wrote Todd Karpovich of Raven Country following the player's release. "However, his blocking skills and inability to play special teams limited his playing time in Baltimore. And now, he's looking for a new home."
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The upfront ball-carrier ability sounds attractive enough, but if his blocking doesn't improve with further coaching he won't see the field more in Tampa than he did in Baltimore.
Still, when you're talking about adding a fifth back to the group, the potential is attractive enough, and the Bucs coaches may see some they believe they can turn into real ability.
For Williams, joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would elevate him from a playoff contender to a Super Bowl favorite, but he'd have a steep hill to climb before ever suiting up for the team.
For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!
