ORCHARD PARK, NY (AP) – Duke Williams’ three-year bid to resume his career in Buffalo is over after the Bills released the recipient after giving up on an injury on Monday.
The team didn’t name the injury, as Williams took an 8-yard catch on three targets in Buffalo’s 41-15 preseason win in Chicago on Saturday. Williams, who had no catches at three targets a week earlier at Buffalo’s start in the preseason in Detroit, was in an increasingly tight competition for one of the team’s last squad places at the receiver.
The Bills also placed attacking lineman Forest Lamp in the injured reserve, signing running back Kerrith Whyte and cornerback Tim Harris. Buffalo ends its preseason hosting the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Williams failed to live up to expectations during his two seasons at Buffalo, where he ended up with 12 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown in five career games.
Williams was an undrafted free agent from Auburn who nearly quit football after spending the 2016 and ’17 seasons with the Rams. He rejuvenated his career in 2018 when he led the Canadian Football League by yards and tied for the standings with 11 touchdowns and 88 catches.
He signed with the Bills the following year and scored the all-important touchdown on a 7-yard catch on his NFL debut in October 2019 in the fourth quarter of a 14-7 win in Tennessee.
