Aaron Williams Released by Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills announced Thursday that they released veteran safety Aaron Williams after six seasons with the team.The Bills can save $1.775 million against the salary cap by cutting Williams immediately or designate him as a post-June 1 release to save$4.2 million, perSpotrac.The 26-year-old defensive back is productive when healthy but appeared in just 10 games over the past two seasons combined due to neck injuries.Williams had to be taken off the field by ambulance in Buffalo's second game of 2015. Although he returned for one more contest in Week 5, he was shut down for the remainder of the campaign.The former second-round pick out of Texas admitted toconsidering retirementbefore undergoing surgery.Williams returned for 2016, but an illegal, blindside block by Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry in Week 7 resulted in another neck injury and the end of his season.Despite Williams' neck issues, his father, Anthony Williams, told the Associated Press (viaUSA Today) in January that his son was leaning toward playing in 2017.According to NFL Network'sIan Rapoport, Williams is healthy and ready to play.Williams' best seasons came in 2013 and 2014, as he registered five of his seven career interceptions and reached the 75-tackle plateau in each of those campaigns.Although Williams had a difficult 2016, Pat Duffy of WCMF in Rochester, New York, pointed out that Buffalo's defense was far better last season when he was on the field and healthy:The release of Williams represents further depletion of Buffalo's secondary, as cornerback Stephon Gilmore reportedly agreed to a five-year deal with the New England Patriots on Thursday, per ESPN'sAdam Schefter.Safeties Robert Blanton, Jonathan Meeks and James Ihedigbo are also free agents for the Bills, leaving Corey Graham as the only legitimate option at the position.
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