Dolphins' Damien Williams: Undergoes offseason shoulder surgery

Williams underwent surgery following the season to repair a separated left shoulder, which had prevented him from playing in the Dolphins' final five games, Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Williams sustained the injury Week 12 against the Patriots and was initially hopeful to play through the issue the rest of the season, but the Dolphins' team doctors refused to clear him. The running back said that by opting for surgery, he'll be at less risk of separating his shoulder again, though the procedure will likely result in him facing some restrictions or being unavailable entirely until minicamp opens. It remains to be seen if Williams, who will become an unrestricted free agent March 14, will return to Miami next season, as he may prefer to join a team with a more unsettled running-back situation that would give him a legitimate chance to compete for a starting job. Kenyan Drake seems to have a stranglehold on the No. 1 role in Miami after amassing 851 total yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry in the Dolphins' final nine games of 2017.