The Oakland Raiders cleared cap space and a roster spot with the release of veteran defensive tackle Dan Williams today, as reported by the team’s official Twitter account.
We have released DT Dan Williams.
Read: https://t.co/FSChlEYbRi pic.twitter.com/1duYkt2uQr
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) April 18, 2017
Dan Williams is no longer with the Raiders
Per NFL.com, this was the statement:
Dan Williams is no longer a member of the Silver and Black.
The Raiders on Tuesday released the 29-year-old defensive tackle after two seasons in Oakland, per the team.
Williams appeared in 32 games with the Raiders, starting 26 tilts and notching 1.5 sacks along the way. He fell off last season after a strong showing in 2015, leaving Williams and his $4.5 million salary a strong candidate to be chopped. With no guaranteed money left on the deal, Oakland will absorb every penny.
Williams also struggled with weight issues last season, which didn’t help his case. Still, he was hardly Oakland’s biggest problem along the defensive line, making the tackle position a potential target in the upcoming draft.
While the Raiders are a team on the rise, it’s easy to forget how their defense struggled for long stretches last season. Williams won’t be the last veteran to hit the cutting room floor.
Williams originally signed with the Silver and Black back in 2015; it was a four-year contract worth upwards $15 million dollars according to Spotrac.com. With so much talk about the team possibly bringing in the outspoken and popular running back Marshawn Lynch, via trade or signing him after a release, this is being seen by some as a move towards that. However, with nothing official this is for now just a move by general manager Reggie McKenzie to clear cap space.
For his part, Williams was a solid contributor on the defense with 65 tackles and one and a half sacks in his two years for the Raiders, per PFR.com.
Stay tuned to RaiderRamble.com for you latest news and thoughts.
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