The Buffalo Bills gave permission Monday to the agent of wide receiver Mike Williams to seek a trade.

Williams started the Bills’ first four games, but was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s 37-22 loss to the New England Patriots. Coach Doug Marrone said it was a late decision due to defensive tackle Kyle Williams becoming available to play after missing last week with a knee injury, and the Bills wanting to have three tight ends active for the game.

General manager Doug Whaley said Williams’ agent, Hadley Englehard, called for permission to gauge interest from other teams, although the Bills are not actively shopping him.

“I said, ‘We like Mike Williams. We expect him back and we expect big things from him,'” Whaley said. “But like anybody, if he gets us compensation worthy of a No. 1 wide receiver — which he claimed he is — then we would entertain it.

“He’s taken it as permission, but I say it as, anybody on this team, we have to do our due diligence and if there’s somebody out there that is willing to give us compensation that we think is fair, and would help us in the long run, we would entertain it. That doesn’t say we’re gonna do it, but we would entertain it.”

Williams has totaled eight catches for 142 yards and one touchdown in five games this season.

The Bills acquired Williams in an offseason trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a 2014 sixth-round draft choice. Williams, 27, has a guaranteed base salary of $1.6 million this season and his $5.2 million base salary in 2015 is also guaranteed, according to ESPN.com.

The NFL’s trade deadline is Oct. 28.