Veteran cornerback Tramon Williams has not signed a contract with the Packers for the 2020 season. The 37-year-old former Louisiana Tech star said he was “90 percent sure” he would play this season but as the Packers report to training camp this week, Williams is still not on the roster.
Prior to the draft in April, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst indicated that the team would wait and see until after the draft when it came to deciding on Williams’ future.
“We’re going to kind of wait till after the draft to kind of see where we’re at, at that point. … obviously, what Tramon has meant to not only our current team but several teams of the past – he’s an all-time Packer – if that fits once we get out of the draft then we’ll certainly make it happen if we can,” Gutekunst told reporters during his pre-draft conference call.
Now the draft has come and gone and the Packers did not select a cornerback at all. The only defensive back selected was safety Vernon Scott of TCU who the Pack added in the seventh round.
So, what should the Packers do about Williams? Here are four reasons the Packers should re-sign Tramon Williams for the 2020 season:
1. He Remains an Effective Player
Although he was the oldest cornerback in the NFL in 2019, Williams had a good year as Green Bay’s nickel corner. He was credited with 39 total tackles and made two interceptions. Opposing quarterbacks completed just 57.9 percent of their passes when throwing at Williams and their quarterback rating was just 79.3 according to pro-football-reference.com.
The numbers show that Williams can still get the job done while his potential replacements are unproven.
Williams was on the field for 73 percent of the Packers defensive snaps in 2019, an extremely high number for a player who wasn’t considered a starter. He did not wear down as the season continued and still was effective in the postseason.
The veteran takes good care of himself and has proven to be remarkably durable throughout his career. He has never played fewer than 12 games in any of his 13 NFL seasons and played in all 16 games for the Packers both years since returning as a free agent in 2018.
2. He Adds Leadership
Williams has been through just about everything an NFL player can experience during his career. He’s played 13 seasons in the NFL, won a Super Bowl, made a Pro Bowl and played in 199 career regular season games and 15 postseason contests. There is nothing Williams hasn’t seen on the football field.
One of the reasons he’s still a successful player at his advanced age is because he prepares as well as anybody in the league. Williams leads by example. Younger players can learn a lot from just watching the way Williams goes about his business on the field, watching film and studying his playbook.
Aaron Rodgers knows what Williams adds to the locker room. When the Packers re-signed Williams in 2018, he told reporters, “Tramon, I can’t say enough about him,” Rodgers said. “Not only is he a fantastic player…but he’s also a fantastic locker room guy. You can’t have enough great leaders like Tramon Williams.”
3. He Won’t Cost a Lot
The Packers should be able to sign Williams for at or close to the veteran minimum. While the Packers are tight against the cap, they should be able to work out a deal that won’t break the bank to bring back their veteran corner.
Going with younger players at cornerback may save the Packers a few dollars initially, but Williams savvy and experience could help the team win an extra game or two and that could affect whether the team wins the division, what playoff seed they get or even how far they go in the playoffs. The difference between victory and defeat in the NFL is often a fine line and Williams could make the difference for the Packers.
4. The Packers Would Have Excellent Depth at DB
While the Packers have several candidates with the potential to replace Williams as the slot cornerback, having Williams on the team would give Green Bay superb depth at the position.
Chandon Sullivan would have one more season as the dime back and could learn more from Williams. It would give Sullivan a chance to prove that his strong performance in 2019 was no fluke.
Ka’Dar Hollman and Josh Jackson would be able to learn and would not necessarily be relied upon on a regular basis.
More importantly, during a season with so much uncertainty because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Packers would have outstanding depth at the position. That will be vital for all NFL teams in case injuries and/or illness strikes the roster. To have a player like Williams available would give the Packers a strong group of cornerbacks that goes at least four deep with Jackson, Hollman and other younger players eager to make it five or more if they can prove they are up to the task.
Overall, the plusses far outweighs the drawbacks and the Packers should sign Williams for one more season.
Via: cheeseheadtv.com