Getty K'Waun Williams leaps to the sky during an October 7, 2019 home game versus the Browns.
One key change the San Francisco 49ers needed to make during the 2022 offseason was replacing reliable nickelback K’Waun Williams in free agency, who snatched all of his career interceptions with the Niners.
Now, Williams’ name has been mentioned as part of a proposed change involving his new team the Denver Broncos…as a trade idea.
Pro Football Focus on Tuesday, October 25 unveiled a list of nine NFL defenders who could be moved as the league’s trade deadline approaches on Tuesday, November 1. After just seven games in his new surroundings, PFF believes that Williams, 31, can be worth a midseason trade.
Proposal Sends the Ex-49ers DB to 1 of League’s Best Teams
The idea PFF writer Brad Spielberger proposed involving the versatile defender who spent most of his career in the Bay Area: The Broncos sending him to the Minnesota Vikings.
In exchange, the current 5-1 Vikings — who are a game behind the league’s best team the Philadelphia Eagles — obtains a 2023 fifth round pick, or as PFF called it a “conditional pick that will become their compensatory fifth-round pick if they earn one as expected.”
But why would Minnesota, with the second best record in the conference, need help from the former 49er?
“The Vikings currently have the league’s worst grade for defenders lined up in the slot (43.8), and Williams has a proven track record over the past decade of consistent play in all facets, grading above 60.0 as a run-defender and in coverage for every season of his career beyond his rookie campaign,” Spielberger wrote. “Since 2019, Williams’ 0.89 yards per coverage snap allowed ranks fifth, his 13 stops as a run-defender ranks tied for fourth and his seven tackles for loss or no gain ranks tied for second among slot cornerbacks. He’s an impact player over the middle where Minnesota has been susceptible, and closing their weak link on the backend could propel the Vikings to a legitimate playoff run in a weak NFC after a strong start to their season.”
But there’s another attachment to this proposed trade idea. Chandon Sullivan of the Vikings has underperformed as the slot defender (Williams’ natural spot). Sullivan, who came to Minnesota via the rival Green Bay Packers, has been given a lowly 42.2 coverage grade by PFF. Even Bleacher Report called for Sullivan to be benched before the month of October.
Is Williams Struggling in Denver?
For a player to get mentioned as a trade idea often points to potential turmoil with his current team or a field experiment simply not working.
Does this mean Williams is struggling in Denver? His numbers point otherwise.
According to PFF, Williams hasn’t surrendered more than 45 receiving yards or more than five catches his side in every game he’s played in. It’s near identical to his first six games with the 49ers last season.
He’s also been a sure tackler for Denver, with the analytics site giving him a tackling grade of 80 or higher four times this season. He was rewarded a rating past 80 three times last season.
Although, his snap counts took a dive in Week 7 versus the New York Jets. Williams was given 33 defensive plays — much less than the 75 he was involved in during the previous week against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Williams signed a two-year, $5,200,000 deal with the Broncos during March. His base salary sits at $1,340,000 for 2022 per Spotrac. But for a Vikings team that’s aiming to contend in the NFC and for a Broncos team that’s been a major disappointment at 2-5 and are on a four-game losing skid, PFF and Spielberger believe that a change can be a seamless one for the past 49er.
“The Vikings and Broncos are first and third, respectively, in percent of coverage snaps lined up in Cover 6, with Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell holding that position in Denver last season. Both defenses are zone coverage-heavy, so Williams should transition seamlessly,” Spielberger wrote.