FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced today that they have released TE Michael Williams.
Williams, 25, was acquired by the Patriots from Detroit in a trade for an undisclosed draft pick on Aug. 26, 2015. The 6-foot-6, 304-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a seventh round draft pick (211th overall) by Detroit in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Alabama. After spending his rookie season on injured reserve, Williams spent the 2014 season on the Detroit practice squad while converting from tight end to offensive tackle.Â
Last season with the Patriots, Williams played in 15 games with nine starts, primarily as a blocking tight end. He registered three receptions for 26 yards. Williams also played in both postseason games with one start but did not record any statistics.Â