Williams agrees to deal, says Cards ‘a piece or 2 away from winning it’
Tramon Williams said he could have signed with any number of NFL teams – “it was a handful, plus,” he said – but his mind always kept drifting back to the Arizona Cardinals.
They were the first team he and his agent were in contact with when the free-agency signing period began, he said, and they were always going to be in play. There was a reason for that, Williams said upon agreeing to a one-year deal and meeting with reporters on Monday.
“Every year I look at this team as one of the teams that’s always a piece or two away from winning it,” Williams, 34, said. “I know in this league it’s hard to win. You get a team like this that loses a lot of close games and the next season they win 13 games. So if you can find that consistency, find that right piece, I think you can get it over the top.”
And yes, the 11-year veteran who spent the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, believes he can be one of the right pieces for Arizona.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” he said, smiling.
The Cardinals had been targeting veteran help at cornerback before training camp even began, but the search took on even greater importance in recent days following a string of injuries at the position. Elie Bouka hurt his ankle at the start of camp and still hasn’t returned to full workouts. Jumal Rolle suffered a torn hamstring and reached an injury settlement with the team.
But cornerbacks kept dropping. Right corner Justin Bethel suffered a hyperextended knee late last week and the man replacing him at No.1 on the depth chart, Ronald Zamort, looked fantastic until he suffered torn knee ligaments while impressing during Saturday’s annual Red-White practice.
“That’s just the nature of the business,” starting left cornerback Patrick Peterson said. “Guys go down and we have to find someone else that can help us. It’s unfortunate Ronny went down. Justin’s going to be out for a little bit. Bouka’s still not back with us yet. We just have to find a way to get guys who can come in and help us right away.”
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Williams should be a valuable addition. Williams spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Packers, which included a Pro Bowl appearance and a victory in Super Bowl XLV.
“He’s got a pro resume, has been an outstanding player for a long time and a very versatile player,” Arians said. “He can play outside, inside, safety. Very smart player. So I’m very excited about adding him to our team.”
Williams said he plans to compete for playing time right away and, once he has learned the playbook, expects to challenge for the starting spot opposite Peterson.
“You’ve got some young talented guys here,” he said, “but anytime I come to anybody’s teams I always look to compete no matter how the chips fell or how the perception was about who had the starting spot or not. I always came in to compete and I never thought anything would be given to me, so I’m definitely going to compete.”
The Cardinals on Monday also signed another cornerback, Jarell Carter, an undrafted rookie free agent from Trinity International. The team reached injury settlements with Zamort and linebacker Alani Fua (knee).
Quick kick
Arians always calls all the plays on offense during regular season games, but he’s turned the play-calling over to offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin in the past during select preseason games and he’s doing that again this year.
Arians said Goodwin will call all of the plays on offense Thursday when the Cardinals meet the Cowboys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Canton, Ohio.
Former Cardinals safety sentenced
Former Cardinals safety Chris Clemons has been sentenced to 10 days in jail – with five days suspended – and will have to pay $30,000 in restitution as a result of assaulting a woman outside a Scottsdale nightclub in May, 2016.
Clemons, who was released by the Cardinals in September 2016, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and intentionally causing physical injury. He could have been sentenced up to six months in jail.
Clemons, 31, is an unrestricted free agent who isn’t likely to receive any interest from NFL teams.
Hall of Fame?
In 2004, at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, then-Cardinals coach Dennis Green asked Auburn linebacker Karlos Dansby what he wanted to get out of football.
“I want a yellow jacket,” Dansby said, referring to the jacket Pro Football Hall of Fame members receive.
QB adjusts
Trevor Knight walked off the field in his black No. 1 practice jersey on Friday, but instead of heading straight to his scheduled radio appearance, he had three other jerseys to drop off, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 7.
Rookie duty calls.