GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Nine years after signing with the Packers and joining their practice squad, Tramon Williams' career in Green Bay is over.
Williams signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns that is reportedly for three years and $21 million. This comes on the day that Williams turned 32 years old.
The Packers remained interested in Williams throughout the free-agent process, even as their long-time cornerback visited the New Orleans Saints and then traveled to meet with the Browns. But general manager Ted Thompson stood firm in his contract stance with Williams, getting rejected when reportedly offering two years and $8 million. This strong negotiating tactic had recently worked for Thompson, who was able to get wide receiver Randall Cobb and right tackle Bryan Bulaga back on below-market-value deals.
"I know this is a good spot for me," Williams told the Browns official website. "It carries the same tradition Green Bay had. I'm just ready for a new chapter in my life."
Williams started 110 games in a Green Bay uniform, recording 32 interceptions, 126 passes defensed and 431 tackles. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Packers in the 2010 season and was named to the Pro Bowl that same year.
"Tramon is a really good and consistent player," Browns general manager Ray Farmer told the team's website. "He has had success in this league because he's a pro's pro who believes great preparation leads to great performance. We are very happy to be able to sign a player of his caliber to our secondary."
Williams joins Joe Haden to make up Cleveland's starting outside-cornerback duo next season. The Browns also have Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson at safety, both of whom rated very highly with ProFootballFocus in 2014.
"It's going to be awesome," Williams said. "I'll be glad to join those guys and help those guys with whatever they need. I see where these guys are going and I think I can help them go to where they want to go. They had a great defense last year with a lot of young guys on the team. I'm a veteran guy and I hope I can take them to another level."
Green Bay now has to respond to losing two of its top cornerbacks. Davon House departed for Jacksonville in free agency, signing a four-year, $24.5 million ($10 million guaranteed) deal with the Jaguars.
The Packers re-signed Sam Shields last offseason to a four-year, $39 million ($12.5 million guaranteed) contract, and he'll obviously remain one of the starting cornerbacks. But unless Green Bay drafts a cornerback with one of its first picks or signs one of the few remaining difference-makers still on the market at that position, the Packers will almost certainly start Casey Hayward outside opposite Shields. That would make Micah Hyde the nickel back and could perhaps allow 2014 sixth-round pick Demetri Goodson to play in dime packages.
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