Miami Dolphins wide receiver Preston Williams remains on the trade block, according to a league source. The AFC East franchise is actively shopping Williams, and he is drawing healthy interest around the league.
Miami Dolphins shop Preston Williams as deadline nears
The trade discussions are expected to come down to the wire, and it remains unclear if Williams will be traded. There’s also a strong possibility that he could be released and draw interest on waivers. The NFL deadline to get down to 53 players is Tuesday afternoon.
Williams is a big downfield target at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, making him one of the biggest wide receivers in the NFL.
The Dolphins’ handling of the former undrafted free agent out of Colorado State this offseason has been peculiar. They could have let him walk in free agency but instead re-signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million contract — that included $275,000 in guaranteed money — before he could hit the open market. But essentially, every move they’ve made since has been to replace him.
They traded for Tyreek Hill and signed Cedrick Wilson, Trent Sherfield, and Mohamed Sanu (who has since been released). Not surprisingly, Williams has been buried on their depth chart all summer, leading to understandable frustration about his role.
Williams, 25, caught six passes for 71 yards and rushed once for seven yards last season. He has 56 career receptions for 787 yards and seven touchdowns. Injuries have been a big factor in his career trajectory. He has never played in more than eight games in one season.
In eight games and three starts last season, Williams was targeted just 16 times with the arrival of first-round draft pick Jaylen Waddle. In 2020, Williams caught 18 of 35 targes for 288 yards and four touchdowns in eight games (seven starts).
Yet, his rookie season was his most productive year overall. In 2019, Williams was targeted a career-high 60 times, catching 32 passes for 428 yards, 24 first downs, and three touchdowns in eight games.
Behind other good wide receivers on the depth chart, including Hill and Waddle, Williams is expected to be the odd man out. It’s just a matter of whether the Dolphins can get something in exchange for him.