The Facts: Ray Rice regularly says that Williams is “the best thing that ever happened to me.” In his first year with the Ravens, Williams proved to be an excellent fit for the offense and Rice will be happy to know that Williams fully intends to return to Baltimore next year for his 12th NFL season. “My body feels good and I know I’m going to train hard and so I’m excited about next year,” Williams said after the season.
Diehards Line:Williams will be 35 years old by the time next season starts – potentially making him the oldest running back in the league (Kevin Faulk, 35, and Sammy Morris, 34, are currently older) – and he will be entering the final season of a two-year deal he signed with Baltimore. He had career lows in carries (108) and total rushing yards (444), and scored only two touchdowns. For a player who has spent much of his 11-year career as a feature back and face of the franchise, the drop in stats might seem bothersome. But not for Williams, who relished the chance to serve as Rice’s backup. The Ravens used the 230-pound running back to spell Rice at times and bring more of a power rusher into the game. The one-two punch led to a statistical decline for Williams, but helped Rice stay fresh and become one of the only players in the NFL to gain more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. “For me the opportunities to be a feature back are not as much,” Williams said. “But the opportunity to play and that someone wants me, it’s a big deal at this point.”