As a couple notable former Lions defensive line remain available, Nick Williams has signed with the New York Giants.
As NFL training camps open, Ndamukong Suh and Trey Flowers are still available. But another former Detroit Lions defensive lineman has found a home, as Mike Garofolo of NFL Network reported the New York Giants will sign Nick Williams.
Williams spent the past two seasons with the Lions, playing a total of 31 games and starting 30. As last year’s trade deadline approached he surfaced as a candidate to be moved, in the last year of his contract and as an older player on a young team, but he stayed put.
Over his time in Detroit, Williams had 50 total tackles, six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He was a seventh-round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013, making his debut for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014. After 21 appearances with Kansas City, he was waived in 2016 and spent the rest of that season with the Miami Dolphins.
From there, before signing with the Lions, Williams spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears, highlighted by a career-high six sacks in 2019.
Nick Williams not the only former Lion on the Giants radar
Williams was signed by the Giants to add some veteran experience to their defensive line. But a second former Lion is apparently on their radar for the other side of the ball. With the departures of Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph, New York is thin on experience at tight end.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, tight end Eric Ebron had a workout with the Giants on Monday. Ebron was drafted 10th overall by the Lions in the 2014 draft, and he spent his first four seasons in Detroit.
Former Colts, Steelers TE Eric Ebron visited with Giants, per @TomPelissero https://t.co/NsRN9xEtRH pic.twitter.com/J6nel4vUmu
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) July 25, 2022
Among former Lions, Suh, Flowers and Ebron should find opportunities soon as teams take realistic inventory of where they need help.