Tramon Williams walks; signs three-year deal with Cleveland Browns
Tramon Williams has helped the Packers secondary to a top-10 rated unit.. Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports photograph
What now?
Cornerback is always a position of need and a position that the Packers found was a strength last season. However, without Williams and House on the roster, it’s pretty clear the Packers will be eyeing the NFL draft for one, if not a couple of cornerbacks to fill the void.
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That is if they can afford to spend a pick on a cornerback instead of addressing their biggest need … inside linebacker.
The Packers spent big money last year on the much younger Sam Shields, who was awarded just before the start of the 2014 free agency period with a four-year $39 million contract.
The Packers weren’t about to do the same with the unproven House and the elderly Williams.
In looking at the overall future of the position for the Green Bay Packers, our own Jamie Wright came up with this analysis in a recent post:
"Though Shields is arguably the fastest man on defense, Williams is a speed player on the outside, as well (though it was hard to tell in the NFC Championship game, against Seahawks’ WR Jermaine Kearse). Young cornerbacks like Trae Waynes will be snatched up quickly in the draft, unlikely to fall to the number 30 overall pick held by the Green Bay Packers. Waynes would be a great replacement for Williams, if he was to experience such a fall, however. If the Packers were able to exchange an aging TW (Tramon Williams) for a young, faster TW (Trae Waynes) – we’d be fine for a long time. One NFC director of personnel commented that he didn’t think anyone had a better combine than Waynes. He posted a 4.31-second time in the 40-yard dash (much faster than expected) and showed that he has the speed to match his overall length."
Though Waynes is just one cornerback out there waiting to be drafted, we should, at this point, trust Ted Thompson to bring in the best players who have a chance to help the team in the long run.
Stay tuned …