When coaching staffs change it is common to see a similar degree of change on the team's roster. That change came to fruition on Thursday as the Bills released veteran safety Aaron Williams.
Williams, one of the more popular Bills players among fans over the past decade, was a promising player, but injuries kept him from realizing his full potential as a game-changing safety. His past two seasons were particularly difficult as he appeared in just 10 games over the last two seasons.
His future playing career is still undetermined since his 2016 season was ended prematurely due to a neck injury suffered against the Dolphins in Week 7. It was the second straight year in which a neck injury landed Williams on injured reserve.
Though Williams was not happy that he was unable to play with his teammates over the last 11 weeks of the 2016 campaign, he did seem at peace with the circumstances that sidelined him.
"Accidents like mine happen all the time," said Williams in January of Jarvis Landry's penalized hit on him in Week 7 that drew an NFL fine. "I'm not the first victim. Just kind of take it all in. At first I was super frustrated and super sad about how everything has turned out. But I'm still walking. I'm still smiling. I'm happy now."
At the close of the 2016 season, Williams admitted he was contemplating whether or not to continue his NFL career. The former second-round pick turns just 27 in April.
