Tramon Williams, who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, is back with the team after a three-year hiatus, per ex-Packer receiver James Jones.
REUNITED: Sources tell me CB Tramon Williams @HighRizer22 will be returning to the #Packers on a 2-Year Deal…He played there for 9 years and helped seal the #SBXLV victory…Much needed CB help is on the way @nflnetwork @NFL
— James Jones (@89JonesNTAF) March 22, 2018
Tramon Williams Returns to the Green Bay Packers: What It Means
After spending his first seven years in the league with the Packers, Williams signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2015 on a three-year deal. He played there for two seasons before being released in February of 2017, where he then signed with the Arizona Cardinals on a one-year deal prior to the start of the 2017 season.
The 35-year-old cornerback played on 63 percent of defensive snaps for the Cardinals in 2017. He started nine games and played in 13 games total. Williams did not play much in the first few games of the season, only playing in 17 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. This was more than likely due to the fact that the Cardinals were getting the veteran corner acclimated to the playbook and back to football shape. From week seven onward, Williams played in 88 percent or more of the team’s defensive snaps.
The snaps are important to note for a veteran cornerback who will be coming onto a team that could ask a lot of him. Williams is arguably the best cornerback currently on the Packers roster and could see a lot of snaps in 2018. The Packers are attempting to patch together their secondary after a bad 2017 season for the entire unit. New general manager Brian Gutekunst shipped the team’s best corner, former first-round pick Damarious Randall, to the Browns in exchange for a swapping of picks and quarterback DeShone Kizer. The team also decided to let veteran safety Morgan Burnett walk in free agency, ultimately signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, there are some bright spots within the defensive back unit. 2017 second round pick (the team’s first selection in the 2017 draft) Kevin King showed a lot of promise in his rookie season but struggled with a nagging shoulder injury. Considering the injury, it is very difficult to completely assess King‘s potential/development because his trademark is as a physical, press corner. King has since had off-season shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp in July. Another promising player also looking to take a big step this offseason is Lenzy Pipkins. Pipkins, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, showed flashes of potential in limited playing time in 2017.
Gutekunst is more than likely not done rebuilding the defensive secondary for 2018. It is expected that the team will use one or more high draft picks to bring in more defensive back talent for 2018. The team could also look to bring in another veteran free agent. Prior to the signing of Williams, the Packers had a little over $20 million in cap room.
Williams’ true value to the Packers will more than likely be in a mentor role for the slew of young talent that the Packers will surely have in 2018. Williams served under new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine while Pettine was Cleveland’s head coach in 2015. Williams has experience playing under Pettine’s system and can be a tremendous asset during the scheme transition. Aside from having experience as a Packer and playing in Green Bay, Williams brings 10 years of NFL experience along with him.
It remains to be seen if Williams will indeed be named a starter for the Packers, but nonetheless, he will have a significant role. The move from Gutekunst to bring in a wily veteran like Williams is one that has received a lot of praise from Packer fandom. Time will tell if the Packer fan favorite can help them to climb out of the hole they’ve put themselves into.
