Buffalo Bills 2021 Player Profile: Wide receiver Duke Williams
Is this Duke Williams final chance to make the Buffalo Bills’ 53-man roster?
In 2019, Duke Williams joined the Buffalo Bills after a great season in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos where he led the league in receiving yards. At the time, the Bills were rebuilding the wide receiver position with John Brown and Cole Beasley as free agent additions.
However, Williams was able to bring size to the position that was lacking. He ultimately started that season on the practice squad but would end up playing in four regular season games as well as the playoff game against the Houston Texans. In that game, he had 10 targets but only four receptions.
This past season, Williams was back with the Buffalo Bills and once again spent most of the year on the practice squad. The additions of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis pushed Duke Williams down the depth chart and off the 53-man roster.
The question now is whether or not Duke Williams can make the 53-man roster in his third season with the Buffalo Bills?
Profile
Position: Wide Receiver
Age: 28
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 225 pounds
Years of Experience: 2
2020 Stats
Duke Williams was active for one game in 2020 which came in Week 7 against the New York Jets and he played four offensive snaps.
Expectations for 2021 with the Buffalo Bills
While Duke Williams is one of the biggest wide receivers on the Buffalo Bills roster, he is unlikely to make the 53-man roster. This position is one of the deepest on the roster and he will be competing for that final roster spot with players like Isaiah Hodgins, Marquez Stevenson, and Jake Kumerow.
The reason he is likely behind these players is they are either players who the Bills have invested draft picks in (Hodgins, Stevenson) or are players that can be key contributors on special teams (Stevenson, Kumerow).
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The interesting question will be whether or not the Buffalo Bills bring Williams back on the practice squad if he is not on the 53-man roster. There is certainly a case to be made that he knows the system and franchise and there is value to that. However, at 28 years old the Bills will need to decide if that spot is more valuable to a younger player who could develop into a contributor in the future.