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Through the first week of the free agency period, Green Bay Packers have put forth a steady effort to add proven veterans to the mix despite their limited salary cap space.
A bulk of that attention has been toward bringing aboard more help to stabilize their defense, primarily in the secondary. According to former NFL wide receiver James Jones, the Packers have added a familiar face back to the fray with veteran cornerback Tramon Williams.
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
The 35-year-old spent last season with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was a valued piece of the secondary while recording 41 total tackles with a fumble recovery and two interceptions in 13 games. According to Ryan Wood of Green Bay Press-Gazette, Williams was quite effective against opposing quarterbacks on throws made to his coverage assignments.
#Packers had to sign a CB. Tramon Williams turned 35 years old six days ago, but he held opposing QBs to a 58.4 passer rating on throws into his coverage last season, per @PFF.
No matter what he does this fall, Williams gives a young group much-needed veteran experience.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) March 22, 2018
Prior to that, Williams spent the previous two years with the Cleveland Browns after leaving the Packers in free agency on a three-year, $21 million deal. He played his first nine seasons in the league with Green Bay, becoming one of the anchors in the secondary that helped them win Super Bowl XLV.
His addition should once again provide stability in the secondary, as he has 27 interceptions and 115 passes defended. It will allow him to help mask the loss of cornerback Damarious Randall and safety Morgan Burnett this offseason.
Green Bay struggled against the pass in the 2017 campaign, ranking 23rd overall while finishing 30th with a 67.8 percent opposing quarterback completion rate, 31st with a 102.0 opposing quarterback passer rating, 26th with 60 passes deflected, and 30th with 7.9 yards per attempt allowed.
The Packers have added a few veteran pieces to the puzzle through free agency in former New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham. The front office could move to acquire more proven talent in free agency ahead of the draft next month.
