Here's what the Broncos are getting with K'Waun Williiams

One week after nabbing defensive lineman D.J. Jones, the Broncos went back to the San Francisco 49ers’ mine to fortify their defense — and in doing so, filled the last huge hole on that side of the ball.

Denver agreed to terms with ex-49ers slot cornerback K’Waun Williams on a two-year, $7-million deal, effectively filling out the last remaining vacancy in a nickel package that is, for all intents and purposes, the base defense.

Williams is a pure slot cornerback. Last year, 84.6 percent of Williams’ defensive snaps came in the slot — 700 of 827, per the data compiled by Pro Football Focus.

Williams has a diverse skill set. He is solid against the run. And he is an all-around playmaker: Over the past five seasons, Ryan is one of just two NFL cornerbacks with at least 5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 15 passes defended; Logan Ryan is the other.

He is also an exceptionally efficient pass rusher when asked to blitz from the slot. Last year, Williams had eight quarterback pressures in 41 pass-rush snaps — including playoffs — per the data compiled by Pro Football Focus, a rate of one pressure every 5.13 opportunities. For his career, Williams has 45 pressures in 188 pass-rush snaps — one every 4.18 opportunities.

Another factor that tipped the scales to Williams was his durability. In his seven NFL seasons — 2014-15 with Cleveland and 2016-21 with the 49ers — he has missed more than three games just once. That came in 2020, when he went on injured reserve with a knee issue.

(Williams was out of football entirely in 2016 while dealing with a bone-spur issue in his ankle. The Browns countered Williams’ claims about the severity of the injury and waived him on Aug. 29, 2016 — 11 days after suspending Williams for conduct detrimental to the team. The bone spurs were so severe that they would necessitate surgery by November 2016.)

In every other season, Williams has played at least 13 games. In total, Williams has played in 97 of a possible 119 games, including playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Broncos’ primary slot cornerback of recent years — Bryce Callahan, whose three-year contract expired after the 2021 season — has never played more than 13 games in a season, and over his seven-season career has played in 66 of a possible 114 games, including postseason.

Availability matters, and Williams has proven to be durable. That, plus his playmaking capability and is experience in zone-based defenses, makes him a snug fit for Ejiro Evero’s unit.