ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — His physical exam passed, contract signed and quick press conference finished, veteran K’Waun Williams is now the Broncos’ new slot cornerback.
It’s a two-year, $5.2 million deal with a chance to make up to $7 million for Williams, a source told 9NEWS.
"I’m here to be the missing piece in the puzzle for the guys here and provide an inside presence in the slot," Williams said late Wednesday afternoon via Zoom.
Williams isn’t the biggest slot corner at 5-foot-9, 185, but he’s quick enough to stay with slot receivers on underneath routes and tough enough to tackle ballcarriers. The former San Francisco 49er had seven tackles in a 2019-season playoff win against Nathaniel Hackett’s Green Bay Packers and three more tackles, plus two pass deflections, in another playoff win at Green Bay in January.
In a 31-10 regular-season win against Ejiro Evero’s Los Angeles Rams, Williams had six tackles. Evero is now the Broncos’ defensive coordinator.
"I think he’s exciting," Williams said of Evero. "Speaking to him today, just bouncing off ideas and seeing how he wants to attack offenses, I’m excited about it. Being familiar with the Rams and the conference he’s coming from, I see how they play defense and I’m just ready to help out."
Williams will play the slot while Pat Surtain II and Ronald Darby will play the outside corner positions. Justin Simmons plays every snap at one safety position but the Broncos either have yet to fill the other safety position vacated by Kareem Jackson’s free agency, or the team is going with a competition between second-year returnee Caden Sterns and newly signed J.R. Reed.
Broncos’ general manager George Paton said last week he has interest in bringing back Jackson, although Jackson said he hasn’t heard much from the Broncos since free agency opened last week.
"I still have a lot of gas left in the tank," Jackson said in a call with 9NEWS Wednesday. "I can play in any system. I’m working out, getting ready to play."
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