Jonah

Williams

Williams entered the league as a UDFA in 2020. He eventually latched on with the Rams and worked his way into a starting role in 2023. He totaled 49 tackles plus two sacks. He signed with Minnesota ahead of last season but was cut and later spent time in LA and Detroit.

Williams’ signing follows an Ian Rapoport report indicating Lions DE Josh Paschal “may miss some time” following an MRI on his injured knee. Williams has tallied 32 quarterback pressures and 2.5 NFL sacks since entering the league as a 2020 undrafted free agent.

Williams signed with the Rams as a UDFA in 2020 and has bounced between LA and Minnesota for the past few seasons. He was most recently on the Vikings’ practice squad. Williams started 16-of-17 games for the Rams in 2023 and totaled two sacks plus four TFLs. He will step into a depth role for a banged-up LA defense this time around.

Williams recorded 49 tackles and two sacks while starting 16 of 17 games with the Rams in 2023. The three-year veteran played as a depth player during his first two years in the league but managed to carve out a starting role in his final season with the Rams. Williams should compete with Jonathan Bullard for the starting defensive end gig in Minnesota, the latter of whom signed a one-year, $1.318 million contract with the Vikings earlier this offseason.

Hoecht is a former undrafted free agent who caught on with the Rams ahead of the 2020 season. Through four seasons, Hoecht has carved out a nice career for himself, starting 26 of the 51 games he’s appeared in while also starting all 17 games last season. In what was essentially a contract year for Hoecht, the veteran linebacker totaled 81 tackles, six sacks, and seven TFLs — all career highs. In addition to Hoecht, the Rams are also expected to let linebacker Christian Rozeboom and defensive tackle Jonah Williams test the free agent market.

Williams was a quality player for the Wildcats in his four years, and was particularly good in 2019 with 7.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries. With 6-foot-5, 275-pound size, the former FCS star certainly has the length you’re looking for from an edge rusher. “Overall, Williams is not currently well-schooled with his hand usage and will require time,” writes The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, “but his physical ability and effort are the type of traits worth gambling on in the later rounds.”

Williams (6'5/275) had a very good four-year career at Weber State, accounting for 28 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback sacks (ninth in program history). This season he was named Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP and also earned FCS All-America honors after accounting for 62 total tackles (11.0 for loss), 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and five quarterback hurries. He’s likely in that Day 3/UDFA area heading into pre-draft season, and the NFLPA Bowl will give Williams the chance to show what he can do against other draft prospects.