James Smith-Williams Agrees To One-Year Deal With Falcons
Free-agent pass-rusher James Smith-Williams agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, according to his agent, Mike McCartney. The 26-year-old defensive end entered the league as a seventh-round pick (229th overall) by the Washington Commanders in 2020 out of North Carolina State and spent the first four years of his NFL career in D.C., racking up just 85 tackles (42 solo), seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 31 QB hits in 55 games played (27 starts). He had only 22 tackles (11 solo), one sack and eight QB hits for Washington in 13 games (seven starts) in 2023 and will provide interior defensive-line depth for the Falcons in 2024 behind the likes of Grady Jarrett, Ta'Quon Graham and Zach Harrison.
The Washington Redskins have selected North Carolina State defensive end James Smith-Williams with the No. 229 pick during the seventh round. He's a strong player with raw power, but struggles on the technical side of the game. Smith-Williams has battled injuries throughout college, but he plays well when he's actually on the field. He recorded 20 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack through six games in 2019. There are big health concerns here, but Washington believes he has solid upside and is worth taking a chance on this late in the draft.
