Preston Williams returning to Dolphins in 2022 free agency

The Miami Dolphins re-signed wide receiver Preston Williams on Tuesday, according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The contract is a one-year deal, with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reporting “Williams can earn up to $1.99 million” on the contract.

The Dolphins could have tendered Williams this year as a restricted free agent, with tenders starting at $2.4 million on a one-year deal. Instead, they chose to work a one-year deal with the receiver that pays him less than the tender but still allows him to test free agency again next year.

Williams, who turns 25 later this month, signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2019. At 6-foot-4, he provides Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with a big target in the passing game, but Williams has struggled to stay on the field during his career. He has only appeared in eight games in each of his three seasons, in part due to injury and in part as an inactive player selection by the coaching staff, including last year when then-head coach Brian Flores said he made Williams inactive for “disciplinary” reasons.

For his career, Williams has 56 receptions for 787 yards, giving him a 14.1 yards per reception average, with seven touchdowns. He only caught six passes for 71 yards last season.