Packers Release RB Dexter Williams

The Green Bay Packers released running back Dexter Williams on Tuesday as they continued along the path to creating their initial 53-man roster.

A sixth-round pick in 2019, Williams got his big chance at San Francisco last season. With AJ Dillon sidelined with COVID and Jamaal Williams out after being deemed a high-risk contact, Dexter Williams was elevated from the practice squad. He carried twice for 8 yards before suffering an injury that ended his night. He never saw the ball the rest of the season.

In seven career games, he carried seven times for 18 yards. To push for a roster spot, he needed to be much better in the passing game – as a receiver and protector – than he was at camp last year.

That didn’t happen, though, as he battled inconsistent hands. He produced as a runner, though. He carried 17 times for 82 yards, his 4.8-yard average by far the best on the team during the preseason.

“I think for him, it probably just took him a little bit longer to process the offense in the beginning, and now that he has, he doesn’t make the same mistakes and errors he used to,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said on Sunday. “So what that has done is allowed him to play a lot faster, not get out there and think about here’s what I need to do or what’s going on. Now his awareness is a lot better so now he can play at a faster speed and make good decisions. I thought he played pretty well.”

With Hill’s emergence, Williams and Patrick Taylor spent camp fighting for the fourth spot and a potential place on the practice squad.