Former Viking Joins Hated Foe
The New Orleans Saints employ oodles of former offensive Minnesota Vikings coaches, and a cornerback formerly of the purple team followed suit this week.
Former Viking Joins Hated Foe
He’s Joejuan Williams, now vying for a 53-man roster spot in New Orleans, which will be determined on August 27th when all teams must trim depth charts from 90 players to 53.
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted Tuesday, “The Saints have activated TE Juwan Johnson from the PUP list and signed veteran CB Joejuan Williams.”
Williams will battle these cornerbacks in the Saints secondary for a September job:
- Paulson Adebo
- Marshon Lattimore
- Kool-Aid McKinstry
- Alontae Taylor
- Ugo Amadi
- Shemar Jean-Charles
- Rico Payton
- Rejzohn Wright
- Mac McCain
- Kaleb Ford-Dement
The Vikings cut ties with Williams in May after one season with the club. Here’s Williams’ career resume to date:
- Minnesota Vikings (2023)
- New England Patriots (2019–2022)
- Chicago Bears (2023)
- New Orleans Saints (2024)
The Vikings initially signed Williams in April 2023. He stuck around in varying capacities (practice squad) for five months before the Bears seized him from the practice squad late last September. Williams then played four games for Chicago, was released, and re-signed with Minnesota in November, where he finished the season.
A 2nd-Round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Williams never quite took off with the Patriots, hence the lack of priority in extending him beyond a rookie deal. Williams lasted four seasons on Bill Belichick’s team but missed all of 2022 on injured reserve.
Since 2019, Williams has played 42 games while starting one, tabulating 561 defensive snaps and experiencing action on 393 special teams plays. Because of the 2022 injury, he was basically a forgotten man as a Patriot and found his way to the Vikings the following offseason accordingly.
Here’s Williams’ resume to date, per passer-rating-against since 2019:
- 2019 = 56.8
- 2020 = 79.7
- 2021 = 96.8
- 2022 = Injured
- 2023 = 16.3 (4 targets)
And, of course, the Pro Football Focus details:
- 2019 = 67.8
- 2020 = 55.5
- 2021 = 66.6
- 2022 = Injured
- 2023 = 49.4
This late in the summer, an addition like Williams is unlikely to make the 53-man roster, but stranger things have happened. Like his Vikings stint last year, he could end up on New Orleans’ practice squad.
The Saints also employ ex-Vikings offensive linemen Oli Udoh and Jesse Davis. Klint Kubiak was hired earlier this year to lead New Orleans’ offense in 2024.
New Orleans ranked 12th per passing defense DVOA one year ago.
Vikings Sign Old Friend for OL
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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