Former Packers CB Tramon Williams signs with Baltimore Ravens

Tramon Williams did not start his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers, even though it’s the team for whom he played in his first regular season game. Williams signed with the Houston Texans as a rookie free agent back in 2006, but he never made it to the team’s practice squad. Once the Packers signed him to their practice squad in November of that year, he was on a trajectory that would lead him to a Super Bowl and a tremendous career with the green and gold.

Now it looks like Williams may finish his career elsewhere as well. On Tuesday afternoon, news broke that Williams has signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens after remaining a free agent to this point in the 2020 season. He will join a secondary that is dealing with some limitations at cornerback with starter Marlon Humphrey still on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Williams took over as a starter in 2008, his second full year with the Packers, and remained a critical part of the team’s defense through the 2014 season. After that year, he signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns, playing there for two seasons before spending the 2017 campaign with the Arizona Cardinals. Williams returned to Green Bay in 2018, however, and his versatility was quickly on display as he played in every game over the past two years while lining up at cornerback, in the slot, and at safety.

In 159 games for Green Bay, Williams compiled 559 total tackles, 30 interceptions, 125 pass defenses, six forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. He scored two regular season touchdowns, one on a punt return in 2007 and another via pick-six in 2011, in addition to his legendary pick-six of Matt Ryan in the 2010 Divisional Playoff game.

Despite Williams’ status as a free agent and his excellent play as a slot corner in 2019, the Packers elected not to re-sign him this year, moving on instead with Chandon Sullivan at that position. Sullivan has played well and is more than ten years Williams’ junior — Williams turned 37 in March while Sullivan is just 24 years old.

The opportunity with Baltimore will give Williams another shot at playoff success, as the Ravens currently sit in second place in the AFC North and in good position to make the playoffs at 6-2.