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Zac Taylor Addresses Bengals Release of Ke'Shawn Williams After Costly Muffed Punt
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- Zac Taylor Addresses Bengals Release of Ke'Shawn Williams After Costly Muffed Punt
The Cincinnati Bengals made a roster move Tuesday after their 30-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Just 48 hours after a muffed punt hurt Cincinnati in the fourth quarter, the Bengals released return specialist and wide receiver Ke'Shawn Williams to make room for new additions.
With Cincinnati leading 27-24, Williams muffed a Cameron Johnston punt at the Bengals' 14-yard line. Pittsburgh recovered and turned the mistake into a 36-yard field goal.
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Bengals head coach Zac Taylor addressed the decision to part ways with Williams during his press conference on Tuesday.
"Just trying to get the 53 guys that can help us this Sunday… Felt the need to get Mitch back in here, felt the need to get Tanner up. And so those were just made off of that," Taylor said.
Williams made his 2026 regular-season debut Sunday after being inactive for the first two games. He recorded 131 yards on five kickoff returns.
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The Bengals claimed Williams off Waivers in December last year. He appeared in three games and recorded eight kickoff returns for 203 yards. The 24-year-old returned nine punts for 95 yards. He also chipped in on the offense with one reception for five yards and two carries for 10 rushing yards.
Williams impressed the coaching staff in the preseason and earned a spot on Cincinnati's initial 53-man roster. He beat out Charlie Jones for the team's primary return job.
Cincinnati Addresses Thin Wide Receiver Room
Dec 28, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) celebrates with tight end Tanner Hudson (87) after a play during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
While Williams' turnover hurt Cincinnati, injuries at wide receiver also played a major role in the roster changes. Andrei Iosivas is on injured reserve with a thumb injury , while rookie Colbie Young is out for Week 4 with a knee injury suffered on the opening play against Pittsburgh.
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The Bengals signed wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley from the Houston Texans ' practice squad. Tinsley spent the 2025 season in Cincinnati and is already familiar with Dan Pitcher's offense.
The Bengals also signed tight end Tanner Hudson off their own practice squad to the active roster after placing slot cornerback Jalen Davis on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. The team also signed safeties Beau Brade and Isaiah Nwokobia to the practice squad on Tuesday to help stabilize special teams coverage units.
With Williams no longer on the roster, Cincinnati will also need to make another change at returner before Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars . Dohnte Meyers handled return duties in Week 2 against the Houston Texans, and the Bengals could turn to him again.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
