Bengals finalize deal with S Williams

Sports Network | May 7, 2009

Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Bengals officially signed safety Roy Williams on Thursday. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Williams, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, was released in early March by the Dallas Cowboys, who picked him with the eighth overall choice of the 2002 NFL Draft.

The 28-year-old Oklahoma product appeared in just three games in 2008 because of a fractured forearm. He had 512 tackles, 19 interceptions and 6 1/2 sacks in 98 games with Dallas.

Williams will be reunited with Mike Zimmer, who served as his defensive coordinator for five seasons with the Cowboys.

"Roy had his best years when we were together in Dallas and I think we can take advantage of all his strengths in our (4-3) scheme," Zimmer said. "Roy is a big hitter, a very tough player who lends a physical presence to a defense, and he makes plays. He has also been very durable, with just the one injury that cost him last year, and that was a broken bone that's healed now."

In his first six seasons, Williams missed only one game -- serving a suspension for a horse-collar tackle in 2007.