NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans are releasing nose tackle Sylvester Williams just one year after signing him to a three-year, $16.5 million deal. The Titans hoped Williams, 29, would adequately fill their void at nose tackle, but he didn't make as many splash plays or command the double teams that they expected. Titans general manager Jon Robinson was willing to cut ties with his signing. Williams was content with the move.
"I'm good. I believe in myself," Williams told ESPN in a text message. "My best football is ahead of me." Releasing Williams, a Broncos 2013 first-round pick, saves the Titans a little more than $3 million in salary-cap space while carrying a little more than $2.5 million in "dead money" salary charge. The release came Saturday because $2.5 million of his 2018 base salary would have been guaranteed if he was on the roster Sunday. Williams, 6-foot-2, 313 pounds, is a bit undersized for the nose tackle position, which may have hurt his ability to get off blocks. The Titans finished fourth in run defense, and Williams played 32 percent of the defensive snaps (11 starts).
This move is particularly interesting because the Titans are expected to host Ndamukong Suh on a visit this weekend after leaving the Saints, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Suh played under Titans defensive line coach Terrell Williams in Miami for the past three years.
The Titans will now need to add more defensive line depth, but they had enough cap space to make the Suh move before releasing Williams and veteran defensive lineman Karl Klug this weekend.
