The Broncos’ search for a new nickel cornerback may be reaching a conclusion as the team was closing in Tuesday on a two-year contract agreement with seven-year veteran K’Waun Williams, a league source confirmed.
Williams, 30, played a career-high 648 defensive snaps for the 49ers last season in 14 games (eight starts).
Once a deal is complete, Williams will be the favorite to replace Bryce Callahan, who remains a free agent.
Adding Williams falls in line with the plan set last week by Broncos general manager George Paton, who said his intention was to add “one or two cornerbacks, definitely.”
Williams would slide into the No. 3 cornerback spot behind Pat Surtain II and Ronald Darby and ahead of Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey.
Williams played at Pittsburgh in college and entered the NFL with Cleveland in 2014 as an undrafted free agent. He played two years for the Browns (26 games/10 starts, two sacks and 77 tackles), but was cut in August 2016 after coach Hue Jackson suspended him two weeks following a dispute with the staff about his physical condition (ankle injury) and playing time.
Williams was claimed by Chicago but then waived two weeks later. He then signed with San Francisco. In five seasons with the 49ers, he started 36 of 65 regular-season games and had four interceptions, eight forced fumbles, five sacks and 224 tackles in 2,762 snaps.
In three playoff games last year, Williams had one interception and eight tackles.
