Bengals roster news: Cincinnati waiving DT DeShawn Williams

The Cincinnati Bengals are waiving defensive tackle DeShawn Williams according to Alex Marvez.

Williams was fighting among a crowded group of defensive linemen to make the Bengals’ 53-man roster this year. Williams spent his rookie year on the practice squad and most of his second season in the league on the Bengals’ 53-man roster. He had an opportunity to join the New Orleans Saints in his rookie year, but declined in order to stay with the Bengals on their practice squad in 2015. He then made the roster in 2016, though he was often inactive on gamedays.

In 4 games played in 2016, Williams had 1 tackle and .5 sacks.

Williams being cut clears the path for Geno Atkins, Andrew Billings, Pat Sims and Ryan Glasgow to make the 53-man roster.

Williams has been a preseason all-star for the Bengals ever since joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson in 2015. He was easily one of the best defensive linemen in the 2015 preseason for Cincinnati, especially when it came to his ability to get pressure up the middle. However, the Bengals were already too deep with guys like Domata Peko, Atkins, Sims and Brandon Thompson taking up roster spots. Thompson was someone the Bengals already cut this offseason, just a few weeks ago.

Williams is a good interior pass-rusher, but that’s also the specialty of Glasgow, who the Bengals drafted this year. Glasgow had an impressive preseason, which allowed the Bengals to keep him over Williams. Williams does have one year of practice squad eligibility remaining, so the Bengals could look to bring him back into the fold tomorrow.