4 Broncos free agents who could be forced into retirement

K'Waun Williams, Cornerback

It would be tough for a career to end like this, but injuries can be devastating in the game of football, especially when an injury keeps you out for an entire season.

That was the case for K'Waun Williams, who played well for the Broncos in 2022 but was sidelined for the entire 2023 season after having ankle surgery and he just wasn't able to get back on the field.

With Williams being an unrestricted free agent, it would be a huge surprise to see the Broncos bring him back. That turns him to the open market, where interest in a soon-to-be 33-year old corner who hasn't played since 2022 is going to be low.

Williams could still get another gig as a rotational cornerback in sub packages, even in Denver, but he is going to have to accept far less than the two-year, $5.2 million he got in 2022. He would likely be playing for a league minimum deal, or close to it.

Williams may not even be interested in that. It's always difficult for a player to hang up the cleats, but he may see the thought of further damage to his knee in return for a small contract as something that is just not worth it.