Williams asked Browns for release: 'It wasn't a stable spot'

Tramon Williams has yet to find work since being cut by the Cleveland Browns early this offseason, but that's of no concern to the veteran cornerback.

As it turns out, the February release followed a request from Williams himself, who wanted out of what he still considers a volatile situation.

"At the end of the day, those guys were just going in a different direction," Williams told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "From the start of training camp to the beginning of the season, they were going in a different direction. And it came a point during the season to where I wanted to be released. That's why we got released because it wasn't a stable spot. It’s not a stable spot.

"You don't know who's going to be the coaches from year to year, and I didn't know that, so I didn't want to be one of those veterans who is stuck in a spot and at the end of the day, I'm not going to be able to get a job because I was on a bad team. That's why I wanted to get out of there."

In reality, the 34-year-old defensive back was a strong candidate for a release regardless of whether he asked for it. Cutting ties with Williams and veteran quarterback Josh McCown saved Cleveland $11.3 million total in salary-cap space.

Williams started all 15 appearances after joining the Browns on a three-year deal as a free agent in 2015, racking up 69 tackles, one interception, and 10 passes defensed.

A series of injuries limited him to 12 games the following year, and he'd begun to make the transition to safety toward the end of the season.