HENDERSON, Nevada – The Las Vegas Raiders plan to launch wide receiver Tyrell Williams early in the new league next month, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Williams missed last season because of a shoulder labrum he suffered on the training ground that required surgery.
“Unfortunately, Tyrell just couldn’t stay healthy,” said Raiders coach Jon Gruden at the time. “He could have potentially tried to get past him with a harness. But when you have so many restricted movements, it’s hard to get the ball away from your body.”
Williams is still not entirely healthy, so the Raiders need to wait until the new year of the league starts on March 17 to release him for salary cap purposes. The team will save $ 11.6 million from the move, increasing the likelihood of Las Vegas chasing receiver Nelson Agholor, who took advantage of Williams’ absence.
Agholor had an escape season for the Raiders with 48 receptions for a career record of 896 yards and eight touchdowns, after signing a one-year contract as a free agent worth more than $ 1.04 million. The Raiders also chose three receivers in the past two years in Hunter Renfrow (fifth round in 2019), Henry Ruggs III (No. 12 overall in 2020) and Bryan Edwards (third round in 2020).
Williams, meanwhile, signed a $ 44.4 million four-year contract that included $ 22 million guaranteed with the Raiders as a free agent in 2019, the same spring they switched to Antonio Brown, who was cut by the team before play a game. All guaranteed money was paid on the Williams contract.
Williams, who turns 29 on Friday, had 42 receptions for 651 yards and six touchdowns for the Raiders in 2019. But the plantar fasciitis on both feet delayed him and he missed two games. He reported to the healthy training ground before suffering a shoulder injury.
“I’m excited,” he said at the time. “I feel fast, I feel back to myself. So, happy to feel this way, I finally got over it.”
He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chargers and had 155 receptions for 2,530 yards and 17 touchdowns in 55 games. His best season was in 2016, when he had 69 receptions for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns.
The news that Williams will be released was first reported by the NFL Network.