Vikings lift transition tag on cornerback Williams

The Minnesota Vikings lifted the transition designation on cornerback Brian Williams after a recalculation of the one-year tender based on changes in the new collective bargaining agreement.

The new CBA calls for the values of the previous year's franchise and transition tenders to be used in calculating this year's tenders. Because the tenders were so high last year for cornerbacks -- $8.816 million for a franchised cornerback and $6.938 for a transitioned cornerback -- the tenders for this year increased considerably from what teams expected ($5.89 million for a franchised cornerback and $4.77 million for a transitioned cornerback).

It's not clear exactly what Williams' tender would have been, but Nate Clements, who was franchised by the Bills, will have his tender increased by $1.3 million, to roughly $7.22 million, by the recalculation.

Williams, a nickel cornerback, would have made significantly more than the one-year tender of $4.77 million he was initially offered. After getting those new numbers, the Vikings decided he was too expensive and pulled the tender, making him a free agent.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.