Bengals lose Shawn Williams to hamstring injury vs Jaguars

The Cincinnati Bengals are dropping like flies in Jacksonville.

After losing Pat Sims to injury, A.J. Green to ejection and Jake Fisher to illness, Shawn Williams is the latest player to be forced from their matchup with the Jaguars. Late in the third quarter, the team announced that Williams has sustained a hamstring injury and is doubtful to return.

Making this injury even worse is that Cincinnati just cut backup safety Derron Smith this weekend. Smith was waived to make room for a second kicker in Marshall Koehn, who is replacing the injured Randy Bullock.

That means cornerback Joshua Shaw and backup Clayton Fejedelem are left to aid starter George Iloka in the defensive backfield for the rest of the game, if not longer.

Williams has started six games this season after starting in 15 during the 2016 season. He’s become a full-time starter since Reggie Nelson left in the 2016 offseason, and while he’s no Nelson, Williams has been a reliable defender in this defense, not to mention one of the hardest-hitting safeties in the league.