Defensive tackle Eric Johnson II was waived in a corresponding move.
The New England Patriots have added another layer of depth to the ground game.
The organization announced the signing of veteran running back Trayveon Williams on Wednesday.
Williams, 27, spent the initial six seasons of his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Texas A&M product was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 draft at No. 182 overall. From there, he appeared in 68 games. A total of 304 snaps on offense and 873 snaps on special teams were seen over that stretch.
Listed at 5-foot-8, 206 pounds, Williams turned 62 carries into 307 yards as a rusher and 15 catches into 74 yards as a receiver while in the AFC North. The former first-team All-SEC honoree also averaged 22.5 yards per kickoff return during his tenure, including longs of 42 and 46 yards.
After a midweek workout, as KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported, he joins Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, Terrell Jennings, second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson and undrafted free agent Lan Larison on the depth chart in Foxborough.
The Patriots waived defensive tackle Eric Johnson II in a corresponding move.
Johnson, 26, had been among four players awarded to the team via waivers as the league’s cutdown deadline passed last August. The 6-foot-4, 299-pound Missouri State product entered the league with the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2022 draft class at No. 159 overall. Johnson logged 178 snaps on defense and 37 snaps on special teams during the 2024 campaign. His career spans 39 appearances, 35 tackles and one fumble recovery.
New England stands with a roster of 91 following rookie minicamp as a result of defensive lineman Wilfred Pene’s exemption through the NFL’s International Player Pathway.