Seahawks release Cary Williams

The Seahawks will release cornerback Cary Williams, reports Ian Rapoport. Curtis Crabtree confirmed that report.

UPDATE: The team announced the move.

Seattle signed Williams for 3-years and $18 million over the offseason after losing Byron Maxwell to the Eagles in free agency. Williams' 2015 salary is guaranteed so there is no cap savings this season but in 2016 Seattle will save $3.8M against the cap while eating a $2.3M dead money charge, per OverTheCap.com.

Williams started ten games for Seattle this year but lost his job midway through the Seahawks win over the 49ers at home in Week 11. He was replaced by DeShawn Shead and has been a healthy gameday inactive the last two weeks.

This release points to a few things potentially going on: 1) he could have become a distraction in the locker room and that necessitated cutting bait, 2), he could have asked for his release, or 3), the team simply trusts other players in their program over Williams. Seattle still has rookie Tye Smith on the active roster and Trovon Reed and George Farmer on the practice squad. Jeremy Lane can play outside in a pinch if Shead were to get injured as well (with Marcus Burley adding depth at the nickel spot).