The Las Vegas Raiders intend to release wide receiver Tyrell Williams toward the beginning of the new league year one month from now, a source affirmed to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Williams missed last season due to a torn labrum in his shoulder suffered in training camp that necessary surgery.
“Tyrell just couldn’t, unfortunately, stay healthy,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said at the time. “He could have potentially tried to play through it with a harness. But when you have that much restricted movement, it’s hard to catch the ball away from your body.”
Williams isn’t completely healthy yet, so the Raiders need to stand by until the new league year starts March 17 to release him for salary-cap purposes. The team will save $11.6 million with the move, improving the probability that Las Vegas could seek after holding collector Nelson Agholor, who exploited Williams’ nonappearance.
Agholor had a breakout season for the Raiders with 48 catches for a career-high 896 yards and eight touchdowns in the wake of signing a one-year free-agent deal worth more than $1.04 million. The Raiders have likewise drafted three beneficiaries in the previous two years in Hunter Renfrow (fifth round in 2019), Henry Ruggs III (No. 12 generally in 2020) and Bryan Edwards (third round in 2020).
Williams, in the interim, signed a four-year, $44.4 million agreement that included $22 million guaranteed with the Raiders as a free agent in 2019, a similar spring they traded for Antonio Brown, who was cut by the group before truly playing a game. All the ensured cash has been paid out in Williams’ agreement.
Williams, who will turn 29 on Friday, had 42 catches for 651 yards and six touchdowns for the Raiders in 2019. In any case, plantar fasciitis in the two feet eased back him and he missed two games. He reported to training course sound prior to suffering the shoulder injury.
“I’m excited,” he said at the time. “I feel fast, feel back to myself. So, glad to feel that way, finally kind of past that.”
He spent the initial four periods of his career with the Chargers and had 155 receptions for 2,530 yards and 17 touchdowns in 55 games. His best season came in 2016 when he had 69 receptions for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns.
The news that Williams will be released was first announced by NFL Network.
