Tyrell Williams is officially out for the 2020 NFL season, and costing the organization no cap penalty after this year, he could be done with the Raiders.
Tyrell Williams went into the 2019 NFL season as the WR1 for the Raiders franchise, a spot he was never meant to play after the team signed Antonio Brown. Well, we all know how the AB Saga unfolded, and through the first four games of the year, Williams looked every bit the part of a WR1 for the Silver and Black.
Injuries would hinder him the rest of the way, but he still finished with a solid first season with the franchise. This summer, he suffered a torn labrum during training camp, and while he was at first expected to play through it, all of that came to an end on Tuesday, when he was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
In his 14 games with the Raiders last season, making 12 starts, Williams hauled in 42 catches for over 650 yards. He found the end zone six times, including once in his first five appearances of the season, but had only one game where he caught at least six receptions.
With Williams sidelined for 2020, the team has more than enough talent to weather this blow heading into Week 1, and that could mean his time with the franchise could be over.
Tyrell Williams could have played his last snap with the Raiders
Raiders have revamped the position group heading into 2020
Last season, the loss of Williams proved to be too much for a wide receiver group that was young and inexperienced. While Hunter Renfrow stepped up late in the season, the rest of the group was put together on a weekly basis, and it really hurt the Raiders in the passing game, especially on the outside.
This year, that is nowhere near the case, as general manager Mike Mayock has done a terrific job turning what was once a weakness into a strength. In fact, there was talk before Williams was lost for the year that the team would start two draft picks over him, as both Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards have really turned heads this summer.
In addition to the rookies, the Raiders have gotten great effort from two veterans, one who they got in a trade during the 2019 season, and another who they nabbed as a free agent this offseason. Zay Jones parlayed all that work he put in with Derek Carr this offseason into a solid camp, and Nelson Agholor could be in for a breakout season of his own this Fall.
This is a devastating blow for Williams, who still has two years left on his deal after this season, but can be cut with zero dead cap penalty for the Raiders. With all the young talent on this roster, and how deep the position group is now, it is possible Williams has played his final down in the Silver and Black.