CINCINNATI -- Bengals safety Shawn Williams, a longtime backup expected to enter the starting rotation this season, agreed to a four-year contract extension Tuesday that will keep him in Cincinnati through the 2020 season, the team announced.
The extension is for $19.5 million in new money and has a maximum worth of $21.5 million, a league source told ESPN's Adam Caplan.
A 2013 third-round pick, the former Georgia standout has been a key member of various Bengals special-teams units his entire career. His play on special teams created opportunities to play on defense, where he was primarily a reserve to veterans George Iloka and Reggie Nelson. After Nelson was signed by the Oakland Raiders earlier this spring, Williams was expected to slide right into his old role.
"We see Shawn as an ascending player," defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said in a news release. "He's smart, he's tough, and he's not limited in his role. He can do a lot of things well."
Coaches have praised Williams throughout his tenure, and have promised the past two offseasons to get him on the field more. That became more difficult last season as Nelson tied for the league lead with eight interceptions.
Williams had the most defensive playing time of his career in 2015, finishing with 28 tackles and two interceptions. One of those interceptions came in the final minutes of a 16-10 win at Pittsburgh in Week 8, as Williams jumped a running back's route and dove toward the Bengals' sideline. It was one of the biggest plays of the year for the Bengals.
"Shawn is one of our bright, young players, and we're excited to have him as part of the team moving forward," coach Marvin Lewis said. "He has been a physical player, and he has increased his value as a playmaker on the ball. This is just one more part of our plan, which is to draft the right players, develop them and retain them."
Last month, the Bengals drafted another safety, picking Clayton Fejedelem in the seventh round.
With Williams' new deal, the Bengals now have their top two safeties under contract through the 2020 season. Iloka agreed to a new five-year, $30 million deal during free agency this March.
