Word on the street is that the Kansas City Chiefs plan to share the ball in the backfield, and Damien Williams appears to be all for it.
Williams, the team's projected No. 1 option at running back, was asked on Monday how it felt to see the team take a more running back-by-committee approach for the upcoming season.
His response would have likely made coach Andy Reid proud.
"At the end of the day, we are all here to compete. You know, no one is here to chill or feel like you're safe. Those are my guys," Williams said. The six-year veteran recently returned to practice after being hampered by his hamstring to start camp.
Last week, Reid revealed in a SiriusXM NFL Radio interview that the team would take a committee approach, saying Kansas City's RBs "all have their strengths and we'll try to exploit their strengths." During the offseason, the Chiefs signed six-year pro Carlos Hyde and drafted 5-foot-8 Darwin Thompson out of Utah State to join Williams and second-year RB Darrel Williams.
Both players, along with the Williamses (no relation), are expected to be contributors in the Chiefs' revamped backfield, a group that could get more complex if Tremon Smith catches on. The cornerback-turned-running back had three carries for 5 yards against the Bengals.
The Chiefs will have no shortage of options in the backfield as each guy provides a different style. Damien Williams already seems to be onboard with Reid's plan and his willingness to be a team player this far into his career should bode well for team chemistry.
"Those are the guys I'm in the room with every day, the guys I spend the most time with," he said. "Having them step in and take over those reps means a lot to me and them get to see it firsthand, and have that mentality of when someone is down, make sure those guys are ready."
