Saints’ Jamaal Williams to be activated from IR, play Thursday vs. Jaguars: Sources

The Athletic has live coverage of Saints vs. Jaguars on Thursday Night Football.

New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams will be activated from injured reserve and play Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, team sources said. Here’s what you need to know:

The Saints designated Williams to return off injured reserve earlier this week after he sustained a hamstring injury in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers. He has missed four games with the injury.
Williams has 74 rushing yards on 27 carries this season. He led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns last season with the Detroit Lions.
Thursday will be the first time Williams and Alvin Kamara play a game together with the Saints. Kamara was suspended for this season’s first three games for his role in an altercation in Las Vegas last year.

How will this help the Saints?

The Saints signed Williams, 28, to be a complement to Kamara and help in goal-line situations. You would think Williams could help New Orleans in the red zone. The team ranks 28th in red zone efficiency as the offense has been frustrating to watch at best.

I’ll be curious to see how the division of carries pans out after Williams proved last season he could be a primary back. He tallied 262 carries and 1,066 rushing yards in 2022. — Larry Holder, senior NFL writer