Williams Calls Returning to Green Bay a ‘Priority Option’

The oldest defensive back in the NFL last season received one All-Pro vote.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Tramon Williams has played in 199 regular-season games.

He’d like No. 200 to come in a Green Bay Packers uniform. Returning to Green Bay is the “priority option,” the free-agent defensive back told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson.

Spoke to FA CB Tramon Williams while he's sheltering-in-place:
"I've been in Green Bay practically my whole career. I'm open to returning because it's like home, so #Packers are a priority option.
But, I'm also open-minded about other teams. It's just a waiting game right now."

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 23, 2020

Williams, who turned 37 on March 16, was the oldest defensive back in the NFL to play at least seven games last season. Williams didn’t just play in seven games. He played in all 16 games with seven starts.

Amazingly, in a sport in which Father Time is defeated, Williams continues to play at a winning level. Playing mostly from the slot but showing the ability to play outside when needed, Williams intercepted two passes and finished third on the team with 11 passes defensed, according to the coaches’ count. He added one forced fumble.

“I still feel great,” Williams, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2006, said late last season. “It’s amazing. I still can run. A couple years ago, I ran into Barry Sanders’ brother (Byron Sanders). He came out to Houston and worked out with us. He does speed training. He’s training guys in their 30s and they’re getting faster in their 30s than they were in their 20s.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Williams allowed 40-of-63 (63.5 percent) passing and two touchdowns. Of 81 corners to play 350 coverage snaps, he ranked 22nd with 1.01 yards per coverage snap, according to PFF. By its count, Williams gave up less than 20 receiving yards in eight of 18 games. Sports Info Solutions had him giving up only 21-of-41 passing (51.2 percent).

“I feel like I’m playing solid,” he said. “I don’t like to put too much into it. I just like to get my job done. I feel like as long I’m playing winning football and doing what I need to do, that’s good enough for me. Whether the stats show it or not or things of that nature, it doesn’t really matter. Obviously, everybody wants to get their stats and to be recognized – which is a great thing and I’m no different – but I’m in the business of winning right now in my career. That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to do what I can for the team, how they need me to do it. I have been playing well this year.”

Williams received one All-Pro vote at the end of the season. Among active players, he ranks third with 34 interceptions.