The D.C. Defenders signed wide receiver Vyncint Smith, released wide receiver Preston Williams, and placed defensive back Sam Kidd on injured reserve on Tuesday.
Vyncint Smith is six foot three and weighs 195 pounds. The 27-year-old from Bad Windsheim, Germany, appeared in one preseason game for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 recording no stats. The Colts signed Smith as a free agent on October 17, 2022, and was placed on the practice squad.
Before Indianapolis, Smith signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He made five catches for 91 yards, and one touchdown in seven games in 2018. Next, Smith was signed by the New York Jets off of Houston’s practice squad in 2019.
Smith played three seasons in New York making 18 catches for 238 yards, three carries for 52 yards, one touchdown, and 12 kick returns for 322 yards in 22 games. He would later spend time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos.
Collegiately, Smith played four seasons at Limestone University (2014-17) making 153 catches for 2,371 yards, 11 touchdowns, one carry for eight yards, eight punt returns for 24 yards, and five tackles (5 solo) in 40 games for the Saints. He was named Second Team All-South Atlantic Conference in 2017.
Preston Williams is six foot five and weighs 215 pounds. The 26-year-old from Lovejoy, Georgia, made three catches for 22 yards, and five punt returns for 15 yards in three preseason games for the Miami Dolphins before the Dolphins released him on August 30, 2023.
The Dolphins signed Williams as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2023. Next, he signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and appeared in one regular season game before being released on May 18, 2023. Then, the D.C. Defenders signed Williams as a free agent on December 14, 2023.
Collegiately, Williams played two seasons at Tennessee (2015-16) making 16 catches for 247 yards, two touchdowns, two tackles (1 solo, 1 assist), and one forced fumble in seven games for the Volunteers.
Then, Williams transferred to Colorado State in 2018 making 96 catches for 1,345 yards, 14 touchdowns, four carries for 13 yards, six kick returns for 119 yards, and two punt returns for one yard in 12 games for the Rams. He was named First Team All-Mountain West Conference by Phil Steele and Third Team All-American by the Sporting News in 2018.
Sam Kidd is six foot one and weighs 206 pounds. The 25-year-old from Reston, Virginia, signed with the D.C. Defenders as a free agent on January 25, 2024. He went undrafted in 2023.
Collegiately, Kidd played five seasons at James Madison University (2018-22) with 112 tackles (63 solo, 49 assists), eight tackles for loss, one sack, one interception for 16 yards, 12 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 42 games for the Dukes. He was an All-Sun Belt Conference Honorable Mention and Second Team All-State by VaSID in 2022.
