Williams goes from Pro Bowl role to outcast

BasX · Mar 6, 2009

"The Dallas Cowboys released five-time Pro Bowl strong safety Roy Williams on Thursday, two days after his agent, Jordan Woy, asked the club to grant his client a release.

The Cowboys contacted several NFL teams to pursue a trade, but nothing developed.

"Roy has been a wonderful representative of this organization since coming to Dallas," Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones said in a statement. "Unfortunately we have reached a crossroad with his time here in Dallas and the difficult decision was made to allow him to explore other opportunities in the NFL."

Williams could not be reached for comment.

Once one of the most popular Cowboys with the most visible jersey, Williams' seven-year career with the team ended far differently than it started. He leaves town as an oft-criticized target whose departure was more a matter of when than if because of his hefty price tag and glaring pass-coverage deficiencies. Williams was the No. 8 overall selection in the 2002 draft out of Oklahoma.

The Cowboys' shift to the 3-4 defensive scheme never seemed to fit Williams, who believed his style was much more suited for the 4-3. That's the scheme in which he started his Dallas career under former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, now with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Williams, 28, will save the Cowboys $2.2 million on the salary cap and he was due a $4.4 million salary this season. Jones did not get the return on his investment with Williams, who signed a four-year, $25 million deal in 2006 that included an $11.1 million signing bonus. He believed then he would end his career with the Cowboys.

But Williams, formerly one of the most feared hitters in the NFL, became more and more of a target for opposing offenses, which took advantage of his pass-coverage limitations.

Coach Wade Phillips reduced Williams' role to primarily first and second downs and used cornerback Anthony Henry to cover tight ends in sub packages. Williams' concerns in the scheme became apparent and his projected impact of playing closer to the line of scrimmage in Phillips' defense never appeared.

In 2008, Williams lost weight and vowed to find his old form; with that came a change in uniform numbers from 31 to 38 (which he starred in at Oklahoma). Yet by the end of the season, he was a forgotten player after fracturing his forearm twice and being placed on injured reserve Oct. 21 after a loss to St. Louis. He played just three games last season."
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Master Shake · Mar 6, 2009

I liked his game. I don't like this cut at all, but I have faith in Hamlin.

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Williams goes from Pro Bowl role to outcast

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