Patriots Sign Ex-Bengals RB Trayveon Williams to Boost Backfield & Special Teams Depth

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.. — The New England Patriots continue to add prowess to their running back corps in anticipation of the 2025 NFL season.

On Wednesday, the Patriots announced the signing of former Cincinnati Bengals running back Trayveon Williams after a successful workout with the club at Gillette Stadium. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. 

Williams spent the last six seasons with the Bengals after originally joining the team as a sixth-round draft pick (No. 182 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 5’8”, 206-pound rusher has played in 68 regular season games and collected 307 yards on 62 carries. The Texas A&M product also caught 15 passes for 74 yards. Williams has also returned 33 kicks for 743 yards. Last season, he played in all 17 games for the Bengals, mostly on special teams. 

Expected to fill a depth role within the Patriots' running back room, Williams will join expected starter Rhamondre Stevenson, 2025 second-round draftee TreVeyon Henderson, veteran Antonio Gibson and journeyman Terrell Jennings. The 28 year-old also figures to compete with both Gibson and receiver Javon Baker to New England’s kick returner. Lastly, Williams could play a key role on special teams, having taken greater than 50 percent of Cincinnati’s snaps in the game’s third phase for each of the past three seasons.

In order to accomodate Williams‘ spot on the roster, the Patriots released defensive tackle Eric Johnson II. The 26-year-old defender had been a member of the club since being claimed off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts in Aug. 2024. The 6’4”, 320-pound tackle played in 11 games with the Patriots last season and finished with 17 total tackles. He originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick (No. 159 overall) by Indianapolis in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Missouri State.