Report: Broncos Moving on From Veteran Cornerback
The Denver Broncos have many players poised to hit free agency next week. One such player has been re-signed — offensive tackle Quinn Bailey.
What about veteran nickel cornerback K'Waun Williams? Remember him?
According to The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson, the Broncos won't re-sign Williams when he becomes a free agent next week.
The Broncos won't re-sign cornerback K'Waun Williams when he becomes a free agent Wednesday, a source said Saturday.
Williams joined the Broncos as a free agent in 2022 and had a solid first season, though he dealt with multiple injuries. Alas, an ankle injury that required surgery ultimately cost him all of the 2023 season, necessitating that the Broncos find a competent nickel replacement.
Sean Payton can thank the Football Gods that Broncos GM George Paton found Ja'Quan McMillian among the college free-agent ranks in 2022 because the kid stepped into the nickel and absolutely knocked it out of the park. McMillian was one of Denver's big 2023 revelations on defense, along with safety P.J. Locke.
McMillian's nose for the ball, combined with his coverage ability and physicality as a corner and tackler, make him a significant upgrade over Williams. Williams is physical, too, and while he's not as productive with the ball, he's a good blitzer and tackler.
But you know what they say: you can't make the club from the tub. The injury bug marred Williams' time in Denver, and the Broncos will now turn the page fully to McMillian.
The soon-to-be 33-year-old Williams will soon be on the hunt for his fifth NFL team. He went undrafted out of Pitt in 2014, initially signing with the Cleveland Browns before making a name for himself in San Francisco. That's where he popped up on Denver's radar.
The Broncos are facing some serious questions in the secondary, with Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons released, Kareem Jackson long gone, and no bonafide option to start on the boundary opposite of Patrick Surtain II. The Broncos plan to re-sign the aforementioned Locke, which will only slightly mitigate the sting of letting Simmons go.
The Broncos found a way to make do in the defensive backfield last year in the face of some question marks and injury losses. But that was made a bit easier by the presence of two All-Pros in Simmons and Surtain.
Moving forward, Surtain will head the Broncos secondary, and he'll have to lead the unit amid some tumultuous turnover in 2024 and beyond. Williams might not be the only veteran defender the Broncos opt to move on from, with linebacker Josey Jewell also set to hit free agency.
Defensive tackle D.J. Jones is under contract for 2024, but the rumor mill expects the Broncos to release him by next Wednesday, which would save nearly $10 million on the salary cap. Stay tuned.
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