Williams is let go to make room for KJ Henry after Henry was claimed off waivers from the Titans. The 26-year-old tailback will now hit the waiver wire, and if he goes unclaimed it’s very likely that Cincinnati will try and re-sign Williams to their practice squad.

Williams was drafted by the Bengals in the sixth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Through five seasons with the team, Williams has seen limited action, rushing 62 times for 307 scoreless yards while adding another 15 receptions for 74 yards. He also returned 12 kickoffs for 290 yards last season. Williams’ familiarity within the offense makes him an easy player to bring back, but he’ll likely need to compete for a roster spot in training camp.

Williams didn’t play in the Bengals’ preseason games. Returning to practice next week would put Williams on track to be active for Week 1. Williams, Chris Evans, and rookie Chase Brown are all competing to be the Bengals’ third-down back.

According to Rapoport, Williams is expected to miss a few weeks, assuming the initial diagnosis is confirmed with an MRI. It’s good news for Williams, who was assisted to a cart before leaving the field, but the injury will set him back in the battle for the Bengals’ backup job. There’s a chance Williams will return ahead of Week 1, but it’s likely down to Chase Brown and Chris Evans for the Bengals’ RB2 role.