Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
Every offseason, there are underdog players that find their way onto NFL rosters. Looking over the current group of New Orleans Saints players, there are some that meet the underdog criteria, looking to be the next surprise competitors to land a role in the Big Easy.
Sometimes those roles come as consistent contributors, other times as depth pieces or practice squad players, but in every case, they’re valuable opportunities for those who earn them.
A defensive lineman with important ties and coveted experience comes into focus with training camp and potential battle for a roster spot on the way.
Defensive Lineman Jonah Williams
One of five Weber State alumni currently on an NFL roster, one of two on the team alongside wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, Williams came to New Orleans by way of free agency this offseason. He overlapped with defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in 2020 while holding a spot on the practice squad with the Los Angeles Rams during Staley’s lone season with the team.
The two now reunite in the Big Easy, and Williams will be hoping to impress the coach in their second stint together in order to earn a roster spot.
Williams is an impressive athlete with great reach (34.5-inch arms) that was with the Rams during the club’s 2021 Super Bowl run, adding another player with championship experience to the team.
Valuable Depth at the Very Least
New Orleans’ defensive line, much like its offensive line, expedited a concerning amount of drop-off from its starting unit to its backups last year. As a whole, even the starting line struggled to consistently make plays at the quarterback and hold its formation at the line of scrimmage in the run game.
Even if Williams doesn’t shock and steal a starting spot, any player that makes the 53-man roster in the defensive line is likely to see time. Either as a rotational player or they may be called into action due to attrition. Williams would provide an experienced, fluid athlete to plug in where needed when reinforcements need to be called upon.
Williams’s Resume
Williams has been a starter in the league for the Rams and now finds himself in New Orleans looking to claim another meaningful role.
He’s started 23 games over the course of his career, appearing in 50. He has 80 combined tackles with just five notched for a loss and has just 2.5 sacks. But his game is valuable as a run defender. He has had some hot streaks of outstanding run defense play that has been a celebrated part of his previous contributions.
According to @PFF, and DE Jonah Williams is 6th in run defensive grade (78.4) and 2nd in tackling (75.9) in the NFL amongst interior defensive players. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/o7sdMqj0Ly
— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) October 5, 2023
He moves very well for his size (6-foot-5 and 275 pounds) but would be deployed in Staley’s system in a way not reminiscent of previous big-bodied pass rushers in New Orleans. As a 3-4 defensive end, he’d get chances to rush the passer, but his primary value would be in helping shore up a Saints run defense that ranked 31st in the league last season.
His aforementioned championship experience is sure to be a coveted asset. The Saints have put a lot of stock in bringing in those with title game exposure into the locker room over the last few off seasons.
Why Williams Has A Shot
The Saints didn’t come into 2025 with inherent 3-4 defensive ends and Williams could now equip them with an experienced one. He spent 2020 with Staley, giving him familiarity with what the defensive coordinator specifically likes from the position and has leapt immediately into a heavy workload throughout offseason programs.
Williams should absolutely be seen as a player in the mix to land a spot on the defensive line, the practice squad at the least. But he could just as easily challenge a returning player for a roster spot.
