During the 2023 season, Jamaal Williams supported Alvin Kamara as his backup in the backfield.
On Monday, he supported his fellow running back, who departed last week's mandatory minicamp early amid negotiations, in his search for a new contract.
"Me personally, just as me as a man, I respect everybody as the man they are and the decisions they make as a man," Williams said in a Monday interview on The Insiders. "So whatever they do is up to them. Me at all times, I support them and whatever they do because I just love that for them and who they are as a person, and Alvin is a tremendous, great teammate, awesome person, 100 percent. He stays 10 toes down on his business and what he believes in. That's just him. I'm behind him 100 percent of what he does because he's just looking for his well-being. That's all we want for each other.
"But for my teammates and all, we know what it is. We know that it's just business, and at the same time, we've still got to keep pushing and doing what we need to do for ourselves to make sure the team is good. The best thing that we can do for the team is just keep pushing, and the best thing that we can do is just keep making ourselves better for the team, and then praying for our brother, make sure he's great, nothing but blessings. It's no hard feelings. We're playing a game that we love. It's just part of the game that we do. These are the type of things, once you believe in something you believe in, I'm with you 100 percent. That's just your decision."
Kamara has been a versatile star for the Saints for seven seasons now, amassing 5,829 yards on the ground, another 4,219 yards on 505 receptions and scoring 77 total touchdowns.
He was the engine of New Orleans' ninth-ranked scoring offense last season, as he led the team with 180 carries and placed second in catches behind Chris Olave with 75. If ever Derek Carr was in trouble, he dumped the ball off to his shifty back.
But although Kamara still put up numbers, he did require higher volume to do so. His 694 rushing yards on 3.9 yards per carry marked a career low, and his 6.2 yards per reception was similarly the lowest of his career.
Much of that could be explained away by defenses knowing what the Saints wanted to do, though, which was mainly finding Kamara or Olave and hoping they could create. Perhaps Kamara, who has zero guarantees in 2025 when his cap number jumps to $29.1 million during his age-30 season, wants a longer runway to prove he's still got it.
One such way he might is through the new offense brought by offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who spent 2023 as the passing game coordinator in a creative 49ers offense that ranked third in both overall scoring and in rushing yards. He should help create more space to operate for Kamara, especially through increased pre-snap motion, in a vital year for the back.
Just as Williams is supportive of his teammate doing what he must to find better financial security, he's brimming with excitement for his new OC, saying that he's "seen it from the other side" and is now ready to be a beneficiary.
Should Kamara sit out at all during training camp as numbers get ironed out, Williams could also be the beneficiary of a larger workload.
After joining New Orleans in 2023 having led the league in rushing touchdowns with 17 a year prior, Williams couldn't replicate such success. He instead spun his wheels, rushing for just one touchdown and 306 yards on 106 carries.
He'll need to build up some momentum in camp to bounce back and reach his potential in a revamped offensive system.
